


One Night in Bangkok

by delightful_fear



Series: We All Shine On (REVISED version) [2]
Category: Glee
Genre: Alternate Universe - Never Met, American Sign Language, M/M, Thailand
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-11
Updated: 2018-06-02
Packaged: 2019-03-11 09:19:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 22,618
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13521234
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/delightful_fear/pseuds/delightful_fear
Summary: Kurt and Blaine are honeymooning in Thailand, a little off the beaten path...





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quick summary of previous story is in notes at bottom of this chapter.

[](http://tinypic.com?ref=2i0yru9)

Blaine had a hard time keeping a straight face, no matter how much he tried. Exhaustion was making him a little punch drunk, not thinking as straight as he normally would.

Kurt glared at him, expressing more with his big eyes and fierce pout than a five-minute rant.

Turning away, Blaine couldn’t help giggling a little. He looked back sheepishly at Kurt. “I’m sorry, hon. It’s just that you remind me of Norma Desmond sometimes. _‘We didn’t need dialogue. We had faces.’_ ” He said the quote with a haughty tilt of his head, doing his best impression of the silent film star in Sunset Boulevard.

Kurt grabbed his carry-on bag, and stomped towards the customs line-up, getting in the long queue.

Rolling his eyes a little, Blaine loaded their bags onto a luggage cart, and jogged to catch up to him. Kurt pulled out his passport, not looking Blaine’s way as the line moved along slowly.

A custom agent signaled to them, and Kurt walked forward, not waiting for Blaine at all. Blaine followed, wondering how long Kurt’s mood would last with a small sigh.

“Welcome to Thailand. Passports please.” The young agent intoned, looking a little bored.

They passed them over, and waited as the agent reviewed them, and checked things on his computer. “What is the purpose of your trip?”

Blaine dared to step a little closer to Kurt, and gave a smile he hoped was genuine. “We are here for our honeymoon, actually.”

That got the agent looking them over more carefully. Blaine had been warned by friends who had visited the country that homosexuality was generally tolerated, but to keep public displays of affection toned down a little outside of the touristy areas.

“How long do you intend to stay?” The agent asked Kurt.

“Um, a month. We go back on the 5th.” Blaine held out his return ticket, and nudged Kurt to show his.

The agent passed them back after a minute. “Where will you be staying?” This time, he pointedly looked at Kurt for the answer.

Blaine smiled, trying to use his charm to save the situation. If they got delayed, it would be even longer until they could get to their hotel room and sleep. It had been a twelve-hour flight to Dubai, with a two hour stopover before the last leg of the trip. Another six hours on the plane. “One night in Bangkok, to catch up on some sleep. And then we head out to stay with Kurt’s step-mother, volunteering at her health clinic.”

Pulling out the email with the directions from Carole, Blaine passed it over to the customs agent.

The agent read over the email, and then looked straight at Kurt. “Why aren’t you saying anything?”

 _Shit._ They had been hoping to get past him without this coming up. Kurt bit his bottom lip, looking over at Blaine, and he could tell his moodiness was just being tired, and not as able to move past the frustration he normally would have shrugged off.

“He has damaged vocal chords and cannot speak.” Blaine put a hand on Kurt’s shoulder in supportive gesture.

Raising his eyebrows slightly, the agent gave them both an assessing look, clearly suspicious. “We can get a sign language translator here if you require one. You will need to wait in a holding room until they arrive.”

Kurt shook his head, and looked down, his shoulders slumping a little.

Blaine saw that, and it made a surge of protectiveness rise inside him. “Look,” he started with an irritated huff. “We have been travelling for over twenty hours, and the electronic device he uses to communicate died halfway here. He borrowed mine, and the battery power was gone a couple hours ago. He doesn’t sign.”

“Electronic device to speak?” Clearly, the agent wasn’t believing anything Blaine said anymore.

“Yes!” Blaine was feeling exasperated, and tried to keep his cool. Getting emotional or angry with a customs agent wouldn’t help things. “Look, can I borrow your phone for a minute?” He pointed to the cellphone lying on the counter nearby.

The agent grabbed it, scooting his chair back.

“I’m not going to take it or something.” Blaine said through tight lips. Now Kurt was the one putting a calming hand on his shoulder. “Fine. Just google Kurt Hummel on there. You will see that he was a singer and damaged his vocal chords.”

The agent still looked skeptical. “Stay here, gentlemen.” He took their passports and his cellphone, heading to a back office area.

Blaine turned to Kurt, who was looking very stressed. “Look, you have your charger in your bag. If we have to go into the office to discuss this, you can plug in and be talking in no time. We’ll figure this out.”

Nodding slowly, Kurt didn’t seem very convinced.

There was really nothing more they could do but wait and see what the agent wanted to do. Even Kurt’s small ability to talk wouldn’t help, since he had overdone it a week ago and the doctor had made a strict no talking order to see if his vocal chords repaired themselves, or if further treatment was needed.

Minutes seemed like hours as the rest of the people from their flight streamed past them, excitedly talking, eager to get to their hotels.

Finally, the office door opened again and their customs agent returned to them, an older man with a fancier uniform following him. Upon spotting Kurt, his stern face broke out into a huge smile.

“It is true! Kurt Hummel! Here!” The manager rushed forward, stopping right in front of Kurt, his eyes wide with amazement.

Blaine had been with Kurt long enough now to see how his old fans still reacted when they saw him. Looks of recognition and staring were common. Cellphone pictures frequent. Most approached him, shyly smiling and mentioning how much they enjoyed his work, often requesting a picture with him, or an autograph. Kurt always made them feel appreciated, always agreeing to pictures even when he was in a rush.

This man’s adoration was clear to see, and Blaine automatically categorized him as a ‘super fan’ in his mind. It was amusing to find one in an airport halfway around the world.

Kurt was smiling graciously, bobbing his head in acknowledgment as the man babbled on about how he owned ever song Kurt had recorded, proudly showing him a playlist of them on his phone.

The manager’s eyes finally glanced over at Blaine. “Oh, and your beautiful husband! Oh, you are here for your Honeymoon! Visiting your step-mother, of course!”

It didn’t seem to matter that Kurt couldn’t currently reply. The man hardly stopped for breath as he gushed on and on. He knew everything about Kurt, saying how sorry he had been to hear about his father, the accident, and Adam. Blaine couldn’t help but grin a little and like this man when he referred to Kurt’s ex as a ‘horrible scoundrel’.

“Would it be too much to ask to have a picture with you, Mr. Hummel? Or is it Mr. Hummel-Anderson now?” The man looked troubled, being unsure and not wanting to offend them.

Blaine wrapped an arm around Kurt’s waist, giving him a little squeeze. “We decided to keep our own names.” They were both in the public eye, and it just made things easier professionally. “Are you OK with a few pictures?”

The hearty praise from his fan had brought Kurt out of his bad mood. He still looked tired and rumpled, but he still smiled as he gave a little nod.

“Pictures are fine.” Blaine told the manager.

He had expected a quick selfie or two, the manager with Kurt, but the manager shouted out to his staff in Thai, and they all stopped working to rush to his side. He posed everyone, with Kurt in the middle, and passed his phone to Blaine. He snuck a few pictures of the set-up with his own phone as well, chuckling.

Eventually, they were in the back of a taxi, swerving through traffic, just happy to be on their way.

...

Blaine rolled over with a groan. “You can’t sleep either?”

Kurt was propped up with pillows against the headboard, working on his iPad Mini. “It’s 2 in the afternoon in New York. Even though I’m tired, I just can’t sleep.”

Snuggling up against his new husband, Blaine took his hand, and placed a kiss on the knuckle above the worn gold ring. It still sent a pang straight to his heart, seeing his grandfather’s ring on Kurt’s hand. A sign of love, a connection to the past, a promise for the future.

Kurt brushed his hair back off his face, and then shifted down on the bed to give him a kiss. He pulled back, his eyes seeking Blaine’s in the dim light of the hotel room. He picked up his left hand, playing with the worn gold band he had so recently placed there. It felt right seeing his father’s ring, the ring of a man who loved and truly understood him, on this man’s finger. Blaine had seen Kurt at his lowest points, accepted and loved him as he was.

When his eyes met Blaine’s again, they were soft with understanding and caring. “Sometimes I want to pinch myself that we found each other. Now married. I love you so much.”

With a bit of a shy grin, Kurt held up his right hand, folding down his middle and ring fingers. Knowing he shouldn’t speak yet, he mouthed the words to his husband. _I love you._

Blaine glanced down at his hand questioningly, and then back to Kurt’s eyes.

Picking up his tablet again, Kurt clicked on the screen, and passed it to Blaine.

The image onscreen was of a hand in the same configuration.

Kurt took the tablet back, and went to his voice app. “It’s the sign for ‘I Love You’.”

Grinning, Blaine tried to make the sign himself. Kurt chuckled in his silent way, moving his fingers into the correct position.

“You are learning sign language?”

Nodding, Kurt picked up his tablet again. “Well, what happened at the airport made me think it might be a good back-up. Just in case.”

“That is smart. Plus, we could use it to talk from a distance. Like at the grocery store, I could sign ‘Do we need bananas?’” Blaine obviously thought it was a great idea, his boyish enthusiasm lighting up his face.

Kurt’s eyes went a bit wider. “You want to learn it too?”

Chuckling a little, Blaine gave him a light kiss. “Of course. It will be handy for you to communicate with me that way if your phone isn’t nearby, and I’ll need to understand what you are saying. Plus, the bananas situation.”

“Well, we better try to find an English bookstore in Bangkok to buy an ASL book before we get on the bus tonight. There isn’t good internet access where Carole lives.”

Blaine pulled the tablet out of Kurt’s hands, something he rarely did since it was his way to communicate. After a couple minutes, he passed it back. Displayed was an online course for ASL. “How about we just download this? We can do a lesson every night and practice it together.”

“I’d say that is perfect, Mr. Anderson.” Kurt smiled. “I’m glad I learned this new way to tell you I love you, but I still like the old ways too.” He set down the tablet, and picked up Blaine’s hand, he placed a kiss on the worn gold ring there, still getting a thrill from seeing it. He started massaging Blaine’s hand, smiling at the small groan he got in response and the way his husband sunk into the bed.

It had been a happy accident, just wanting to help Blaine when he started playing his guitar more in the past year. He had complained that he was out of practice, and his hands got sore if he played too long. Kurt had given him an impromptu hand massage.

He got so much praise from Blaine, he did it often. Kurt had even researched techniques, adding in new strokes just to see how Blaine would react to it. Now, he would barely start and Blaine would become a boneless puddle at his feet.

Using the pad of his thumb, he circled Blaine’s first knuckle firmly, repeating the motion on each joint and then finishing with tugging lightly on his finger. He repeated this with each digit, feeling his tension lessening. Holding his hand, he stroked Blaine’s palm in circular motions with both of his thumbs.

After finishing both hands, Kurt stroked lightly up Blaine’s arm, not massaging now, but simply touching. Admiring his olive skin, such a contrast to his fair skin. Tracing the curve of his bicep, the muscles of his shoulders. So beautiful, his man.

When his eyes met Blaine’s, he was warmed by the love and heat in them. Even after being together so long, they still had a spark that was quick to ignite. Kurt happily leaned in to kiss him, sinking into it with a pleased sigh.

Blaine’s arms came around him tightly, giving him a firm hug as the kiss deepened, became hungry. He rolled Kurt onto his back with a bit of a growl. “Fuck, you know how much I love it when you massage me. Touch me.”

Biting lightly on Blaine’s neck, Kurt had to hold back from whispering in his ear. So often, he used the few words he could speak each day for times like this. When they were close together, intimate and so open to each other. Instead, he settled on pulling on Blaine’s earlobe with his teeth, before sucking on it.

They were only wearing briefs, and those quickly came off, grinding together until they were both a bit breathless. Kurt grabbed the bottle of lube from the bedside table, handing it to Blaine. He let his eyes show what he wanted.

The sex started slow, both savoring the sensations, meeting each other’s eyes. But soon Kurt’s legs were wrapped around Blaine, arching off the bed to meet every fast thrust, both sweaty and panting.

Afterwards, they both welcomed how relaxed and sleepy they felt, cuddling together. Blaine whispered to Kurt, “I love you.”

Kurt smiled, meeting his gaze to mouth the words back, before dropping his head to his chest. Splaying his hand out over Blaine’s bare skin, Kurt curled his ring and middle finger down to his palm, making the ASL sign for ‘I love you’ as he fell asleep.

 

...

-A/N: So, here’s the first chapter of the ‘We All Shine On’ sequel. I haven’t written the other chapters yet, so I’ll hopefully post once a week or so. I think there will be about six chapters.

-“We didn’t need dialogue, we had faces.” This quote is from the fantastic movie ‘Sunset Boulevard’. Norma Desmond’s expressive face and hands, her overly dramatic silent film style, is perfectly captured in this clip [here.](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_r5PoKO3O2c)

-ASL ‘I love you’ [here.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFJdZWrPQK4)

-Some online ASL courses [here.](https://www.thebalance.com/free-sign-language-classes-online-1357048)

-‘One Night in Bangkok’: The title comes from a big hit song from 1984, rapped by the British actor and singer Murray Head and the chorus sung by the Swedish singer and songwriter Anders Glenmark. Video [here](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=rgc_LRjlbTU).  
It was part of a concept album released to raise funds for the musical ‘Chess’ that opened in London in 1986 and ran three years. A Broadway version debuted in 1988 but only played two months. The musical had music by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus of the pop group ABBA, and with lyrics by Tim Rice. The story involves a politically driven, Cold War-era chess tournament between two men—an American grandmaster (loosely based on Bobby Fischer) and a Soviet grandmaster—and their fight over a woman who manages one and falls in love with the other. 

-Refresh your memory of the Previoys Story:  
-Kurt: Woke up from coma with vocal chord damage. Could no longer sing/talk. Gets surgery but only able to say a few words softly each day. Mostly communicates using phone app to read out words he types. Becomes an assistant theatre director.   
-Blaine: Former musician who now runs organization business. Crush on Kurt from singer days. Helps Kurt in recovery.   
-Carole: Moved to Thailand to work as a nurse after Burt died. 


	2. Chapter 2

Kurt could feel the tears streaming down his cheeks, and simply nuzzled closer into Carole's arms. She hugged him back just as tight, her body shaking slightly as she cried too. 

Blaine's eyes were shining, blinking rapidly to keep from also crying. Carole let go of Kurt, and enfolded him in a hug just as enthusiastic as the one she had greeted Kurt with. 

"My lovely boys. I'm so happy you are here." Carole murmured, pulling back to give them both a watery smile. 

Chuckling in his silent way, Kurt pulled out some tissues and passed them each one. They mopped up their happy tears and blew their noses, still sharing pleased smiles. 

Looping her arms through each of theirs, Carole tugged them away from the bus station. "Come on. Let's get back to my place. You must be hungry after your long trip." 

… 

Opening up the laptop, Blaine found the video, and started it up. He went back to the sofa, curling up against Kurt and taking his hand. Carole was snuggled against Kurt's other side. 

The room was dark, the video the only light, as they silently watched. Carole was holding a tissue, frequently lifting it to her eyes to dab at her tears. She squeezed Kurt's hand, sharing a quick look with him often. 

"Oh, you both look so handsome!" Carole exclaimed, when the men were standing in front of the Justice of the Peace, holding hands in front the small gathering of their friends and a few relatives. 

Kurt squeezed Blaine's hand, glancing over at him with a warm smile. 

Blaine looked over at Carole. "Kurt just wanted something small and intimate. A celebration with the people who are closest to us. It was sad that you couldn't join us, but we knew that we would be seeing you soon." 

"I'm just a bit shocked you got Kurt to agree to such a rustic location!" Carole chuckled, taking a sip of her Diet Coke. 

Picking up his phone, Kurt typed quickly. "The whole farm was a great combination of the two of us. Glamour in the country." 

Carole nodded, loving everything about the setting. Kurt was dressed in a light grey vest over a white dress shirt with silver blue tie, and an indigo blue suit jacket. Blaine was also wearing a white dress shirt, but with a striped bow tie and oatmeal suit jacket. They were both wearing dark jeans, and boutonnieres mostly made of a variety of greenery. 

The service took place at dusk, with fairy lights along the aisle, and encircling the clearing in the woods. Their guest sat on white folding chairs, and clumps of candles in glass lanterns flickered to give even more light to the space. The video caught it well, as Blaine said the vows he had prepared, Kurt often lifting a handkerchief to dab his eyes. Heartfelt words of love. 

When it was Kurt's turn, Isabelle moved to press a button on a laptop resting on a stump nearby, the speaker clearly projecting the words to the people gathered there. It was Kurt's vows, spoken by his voice app, using his own voice. And as the words came from the laptop, Kurt spoke them softly in unison, just for Blaine to hear. 

Beautiful words of love, promises for the future. "I, Kurt Elizabeth Hummel, take thee, Blaine Devon Anderson, for my lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, til death do us part. I will love and cherish you all the days of my life." 

Blaine was clearly shocked and touched by it, squeezing Kurt's hands, tears streaming down his face. By the end, Kurt was struggling to get the last words out, and Blaine gave him a concerned glance, but Kurt gave him a quick shake of the head and continued. By the time they said, "I do," Blaine could tell that Kurt had overdone it. 

They embraced, Blaine gathering him close for a long, sweet kiss, amid the cheers of their friends and family. 

"Kurt, you spoke so much!" Carole looked at him with concern. 

Blaine sighed, squeezing Kurt's hand. "He said more than he has since the accident. The doctor is hoping it isn't permanent damage, just a strain. She ordered Kurt to rest it. We'll go see her when we get back." 

"If the last words I ever speak are my wedding vows to you, I have no regrets." Kurt sent a long loving look at his husband, holding his gaze. 

Shaking his head, Blaine leaned in to kiss him, their forehead still touching afterwards. "I can't decide if that was foolish, or somehow incredibly romantic." 

Carole turned back to watch the video, giving them some privacy to cuddle and kiss. The reception was in a large barn, a good mixture of rough wood and glamorous chandeliers overhead. Fine china, light green tablecloths and delicious cuisine. She laughed at the speeches by Blaine's brother, Cooper, and by Kurt's agent, Melissa, both full of lots of embarrassing stories. 

"It looks like it was quite the party." Carole said as the video ended. 

Blaine nodded. "We had lots of space in the barn for dancing, and between my musician friends, and Kurt's Broadway friends, the stage was full of a strange mash-up of people all night." 

"It was a great farm, and we had the place all weekend. The rehearsal dinner on Friday night, and then we had a bonfire for our closest friends. Relaxing together on Saturday in the hammocks in the woods, before the wedding. Brunch on Sunday morning before everyone took off." Kurt added. 

The site even had 10 deluxe 'glamping' tents, each with a king sized bed, for people like Blaine's parents, Cooper, Nate, Sam, Melissa, Isabelle and their partners. The other twenty or so guests stayed in nearby hotels. 

Kurt had liked that the setting had its touches of glamor and elegance, but overall there was a relaxed tone. He had been the big Broadway star, lived a glamorous life with Adam for so many years, and to have a fancy hotel ballroom wedding with Blaine just didn't seem right. He wanted something private and intimate, not something showy. 

"We even had a goat yoga class on Sunday before the brunch. I was surprised how many people showed up for it, after that late night." Blaine chuckled, and he leaned forward to show Carole some pictures of that. A group of people doing yoga poses on their mats in a grassy field, with a small herd of goats wandering among them. Nibbling on yoga pants, running around, standing on someone's back while they did the cobra pose and tried to keep a serene expression. 

Closing the laptop, Carole turned to face them. "So, what are your plans while you are here? Do you want to see a lot of the local sites, or are you more just wanting to relax?" 

"Well, maybe after a couple of days, we will be caught up on our sleep. I was thinking I could work with you at the clinic, like I did the last time I was here." Kurt explained. 

Blaine nodded. "Yes, and I brought my guitar to do some composing. I'm hoping being away from everything will give me time to get some work done." 

Carole nodded. "OK. Maybe we can take a day off every few days to explore the area. If you two want, there are some beautiful resorts nearby, for something more luxurious." 

"No, no," Kurt interjected. "We are here to spend time with you, and live like you do. We have a week in Bangkok before we head home to stay in a fancy place and shop." 

He was looking forward to showing Blaine some of the great places he had seen when he was last in Thailand. But a few quiet weeks in Carole's village would be a welcome change to the hustle of New York and all the wedding preparations. A strange honeymoon, perhaps, but just what they both wanted. 

…

Blaine walked through the clinic, the way familiar now, and found Carole and Kurt. She was examining a little girl of about four, chatting in the local language easily with her and her mother, sharing frequent smiles and chuckles. He waited outside the doorway, not wanting to intrude. 

"Kurt, can you get me some more vaccine and a syringe?" Carole smiled at her step-son, as he moved to the cabinet and came back with the supplies. She focused back on her patient, swabbing the girl's arm with disinfectant before giving her the needle. It was over quickly, a cartoon bandage making the girl giggle as she hopped off the table. 

Seeing Blaine in the doorway, Kurt washed his hands and gave Carole a quick hug goodbye. 

She shot Blaine a warm look. "See you bright and early tomorrow, boys." Carole said as they left. 

"Tomorrow?" Blaine asked as they exited the small brick building. It had gleaming tile floors throughout, a tidy little space with a central waiting area and a few examination areas. There were a few rooms with simple hospital beds, where people with non-critical cases recovered. Most people were driven to the nearest hospital once stabilized for the more serious cases. Carole worked with a few other nurses, doing basic medical care. A doctor visited every few days, covering a large region. 

Kurt lifted his phone from the silicone lanyard that dangled from his neck. "Remember? We are going out to a nearby settlement to help with a vaccination drive?" His fingers were as quick as ever across the keyboard. 

Blaine nodded. "Oh right, I lost track of the days." 

They walked down the paved street, with lemongrass growing along the edges, passing many houses on each side. Along the way, they smiled at the friendly locals, with Blaine calling out the Thai hello, _"Sawasdee krab,"_ for both of them. 

A grey water buffalo was grazing by the side of the road, lifting her large horned head to gaze at them as she chewed. Rope was strung through her nose and around her head, connecting her to spike in the ground that limited the area she could access. Occasionally, some chickens or ducks scurried past, nearby street dogs lying on the side of the road not even bothering to lift their heads in interest. Occasionally, a local would whiz past on a bicycle or motorcycle, weaving their way easily around the animals and pedestrians. 

They had settled into the slower pace of the village. Sleeping in, although the roosters crowing early usually has them waking a little at dawn before they cuddled together and fell back asleep. Kurt went off to work in the clinic after breakfast, and Blaine to work on his music, taking breaks to walk around and explore often. 

Kurt steered them to the night market, towards an older lady at one stall. He pointed to a clear bag full of something Blaine didn't recognize. She said a number in Thai. Nodding, he pulled out some cash and they finished the transaction. They repeated this at a few other stalls, until Kurt nodded in satisfaction. Blaine trusted his experience to pick out tasty food for them. He just enjoyed seeing the variety of fresh produce and the scents of cooking food. It reminded him of farmers' markets back home. 

It wasn't long before they were climbing the stairs of their small wooden house. One of the other nurses was away visiting family, and Carole had arranged for them to stay there. It was nice having their own space. 

"What did you do today?" Kurt asked, before unpacking their meal and dishing it out. 

Blaine's stomach rumbled at the delicious scents coming his way. He helped carry the bowls out to the balcony, placing them on the cloth they had laid out, and sitting down. "I worked on a new song, actually. I'll play what I got for you later." 

Kurt settled beside him and put on some music from his phone. It was peaceful, eating like the locals did, nibbling on things from a variety of bowls laid out like a picnic. 

The meal was fresh rice noodles with chicken in a green curry sauce. Fresh basil and other vegetables added a satisfying crunch to the flavorful dish. Blaine had enjoyed Thai food back home, but everything was better here. Very fresh and tasty. Often spicy. There was also fresh fruit, and savory nuts to snack on. 

When done, they cleaned up, sharing the small kitchen like they did in their small flat. Blaine headed out to the deck with his guitar and settled on a bench that looked out over the village. He strummed lightly, letting his thoughts wander. 

Kurt soon joined him, passing him a cold beer from the small fridge, and climbed into the hammock, getting it slowly swaying as he sipped his drink. 

It was early evening, and being so close to the equator, the sunset was around six pm all year. It was humid, with hardly any breeze, but bearable. The climate made Blaine want to slow down, nap often and relax. 

Eventually, he put the guitar down and climbed onto the hammock to lie beside Kurt. It was wide enough to fit them both comfortably. 

"Banana." Blaine said to Kurt with a playful grin. 

Rolling his eyes, Kurt held up his index finger and mimed peeling it. He then turned his hand sideways, spacing his fingers apart, and touched his thumb to his forehead. 

Blaine thought for a second. The sign was familiar. "Oh...father." He made the same sign, and then tapped his spread hand against his chin instead. 

Picking up his phone, Kurt typed fast as always. "Mother." 

They ran through as many other signs as they could remember, a quick game where they tried to stump each other. Eventually, Kurt won with a grin, when he asked Blaine for the sign for 'kitten'. When Blaine shrugged, he made the sign for baby, putting his arms together like cradling a baby, rocking them a little, and then made the sign for cat, by pinching his thumb and index fingers together near his cheek, like he was teasing his cat whiskers straight. 

"Well, I think we are doing pretty well." Blaine grinned as he leaned over the side of the hammock to grab his tablet. "Let's try something different tonight." Most evenings they just did the next lesson in the ASL course. 

Pulling up the videos he had downloaded in Bangkok, Blaine tilted in tablet to show Kurt the one he had in mind, titled 'Deaf people teach us bad words'. 

Kurt did his silent chuckle, and hit play. Cuddling together, they watched the five-minute clip, the tablet resting against Blaine's bent leg. They tried to repeat the signs as they were shown. When it was over, Blaine hit repeat and they practiced some more, both laughing. 

"What was that sign for cocksucker again? With the three fingers?" Blaine asked when it was over. 

Smirking, Kurt brought his fist sideways to his mouth, and then moved it away as he spread out his thumb, index and middle fingers. COCKSUCKER. 

Blaine placed his flat hand to his chest, and then repeated the new sign. MY COCKSUCKER. 

Kurt's eyebrows rose at that, and then he chuckled. He ran a hand down Blaine's bare chest, and cupped him through his loose shorts. A little rubbing soon had him very hard, and Kurt pulled down his zipper. Shifting, he got out of the hammock and folded their picnic cloth a few times, placing it on the floor before he knelt on it. 

Blaine glanced around quickly, but knew there were enough trees around the house to have the balcony fairly private. He moved to sit on the edge of the hammock, spreading his legs as wide as he could. 

He was at a good height, and Kurt gave him a saucy grin before he leaned in, stroking Blaine and planting light kisses teasingly all over. When things heated up a little more, he was able to push against Blaine's knees, rocking him in the hammock at the perfect pace. 

It wasn't long before Kurt was urgently pulling Blaine into the bedroom, wanting more, and needing privacy to get completely naked and totally uninhibited. 

Blaine stumbled along after him, still trying to catch his breath. "Oh, baby, we need to get a hammock for our place back home. We could use it like a sex swing." 

Nodding as he stripped, Kurt found the lube and was soon prepping Blaine, the familiar motions starting to arouse him again. He loved Kurt like this, aroused, so open and sexy, his movements urgent. It was great even after all their time together that the sex was so, so good. 

... 

-A/N: Lots  & lots of info to set the scene in this chapter! Thanks to HK Voyage for all the info on Thailand. (Any errors I have made are entirely my own).

-Wedding Outfits: I shamelessly stole the idea for their wedding clothes from an article from Martha Stewart Weddings about same sex weddings. I wanted the wedding to be stylish, but with a more relaxed, rustic feel. Having them wearing dark jeans suits the outdoor ceremony in the woods. I like them wearing well-tailored suit jackets and ties, but in fabrics with a bit of texture. Look at the first picture in the article [here.](https://www.marthastewartweddings.com/396201/should-grooms-match-their-same-sex-wedding-john-paul-tran)

-Wedding Location: Upstate New York, 3.5 hours away, is an old dairy farm that has been converted into an event site. It has 125 acres of rolling hills, a place for a hilltop ceremony with antique wooden pews or a intimate wooded area, a milking parlour for the welcoming area, a huge barn with crystal chandeliers for up to a 200 guest reception, a four bedroom farmhouse, and ten luxury glamping tents. Twenty of their closest friends and family would stay all weekend in the tents, for a Friday night rehearsal and casual barbeque with a bonfire afterwards. A relaxing day and then the Saturday evening ceremony and reception, dancing and playing music all night. Sleeping in, goat yoga, and going home after brunch. The rest of the guest would come up Saturday afternoon and book a place to stay in the town nearby. Link [here.](https://www.gilbertsvillefarmhouse.com)

-Wedding Vows – I think it was really important for Kurt to physically say that part of his vows, ones he had heard so many times over the years at other weddings. It was worth the risk of damaging his voice for this. I don’t think he would truly feel married to Blaine if he didn’t say them. 

-Goat Yoga: Who doesn’t want to act serene as playful goats run around all over the place? Fun video [here.](https://www.gilbertsvillefarmhouse.com/goat-yoga/)

-Thailand: This country in SE Asia is about the size of Spain and has 69 million people. People are mostly familiar with the Central region with Bangkok (12 million people), the North region with the large city Chiang Mai, and the beautiful beaches of Phuket and Samai in the South region. Carole is in the Northeast region, called Isaan (or Isan) that consists of 20 provinces. 2/3 of the population lives in rural villages, mostly in the north and NE regions. 

-Isaan: Carole’s region has about 1/3 of the population, mostly involved in agriculture. It accounts for half of Thailand’s export of the main crops: rice, tapioca and sugar. An average village has about 100 families, with about 600 people total. Most live on about an acre of land around their houses with gardens, fruit trees and livestock, with their agriculture land for growing rice, sugar cane, etc about 1-2 km from the village. Their houses are on stilts with their bedrooms upstairs, to keep them dry in the rainy season. The first level is usually an open space used as a living area for the family, out of the rain and sun. A village may have a few small shops, a couple cafes and an elementary school. Villagers travel to larger town for everything else. A 12 minute video of a guy cycling around a village is [here.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWtm67jPbx0) You can hear him saying the Thai hello, _“Sawasdee krab,”_ often, and get an idea of the houses, shops, vegetation and animals wandering around. 

-Water Buffalo: They used to be used to drag plows over the fields, but very few farmers use them for that anymore, mostly using mini-tractors instead. They are still kept by almost all rural families as status symbols, walked to and from the fields to graze on the stubble in the rice paddy after harvest, which they in turn fertilize with their manure. 2 min video of a grazing water buffalo and some being herded along a street (1:30 mark) is [here.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUpBqK6GYk8)

-Health Care: Thailand has had Universal Health Care since 2001, providing coverage to 99.9% of the population. Many people come from western countries to have non-emergency procedures (cosmetic, dental, etc) with the excellent medical service that costs a lot less, and then convalesce on a beautiful island afterwards. Unfortunately, like many places in the world, it is still a challenge to get enough staff in the rural areas. In Bangkok, there is one doctor for every 850 people. In some Isaan provinces, it’s one doctor for every 5,309 people. 2015 article about the shortages is [here.](https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/features/thailand-seeks-to-address-shortage-of-rural-health-care-providers/). It says 9,000 doctors and 43,000 nurses are still needed. 

-ASL signs: Quick videos for [Banana](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vRTNW-LTIw), [Father](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qQtu0gcrWs), [Mother](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URlMVHSSqOA), and [Kitten](https://www.handspeak.com/word/search/index.php?id=3486). [Deaf people teach us bad words](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdOU3czs-NY). Because everybody learns how to swear first in new languages. lol

-Using CAPS for signing ‘dialogue’: Thanks to the sign language interpreter who commented on the first chapter of this story, and mentioned that signed communication is usually written in CAPS to distinguish it from verbal communication. I hope I’ve done this right. (Please comment if I haven’t.) 


	3. Chapter 3

A spicy, tangy scent wafted towards them, and Kurt turned his head to spot where it was coming from. Grabbing Blaine’s arm to get his attention, he pointed to the stall. 

“Oh yes, that does look good.” Blaine nodded in understanding, and glanced at Carole. “Did you want some as well?” 

Dabbing her lips with a napkin, Carole shook her head. She was still eating a sausage on a skewer they had bought a couple minutes ago. 

As Blaine waved to the vendor, Kurt leaned back to watch his husband in action. Tanned, fit, looking so handsome in dark khaki shorts and yellow Velvet Underground t-shirt. The friendly Thai vendor easily returned his smile. 

Their long boat moved along slowly once they had their food. Kurt dug in hungrily, using a skewer to pick up a round fish cake, and making sure he had some basil and sauce on it. It had just the right amount of spice, enhancing the flavor of the fish. It was all served in a small bowl fashioned out of a banana leaf. 

“We have to get you some green papaya salad, Blaine. It’s so much better here, so fresh.” Carole pointed to a nearby stall. 

It was fun playing tourist today, driving a few hours on the highway with frequent stops to look at local sites and stretch their legs. Carole enjoyed showing off her adopted country, answering all their questions as they travelled. 

The floating market outside of Bangkok was a unique experience. Gliding along to look at the goods in stalls along the canal, or in boats. Buying lots of tempting snack foods for their supper. Kurt had picked up a new wide-brimmed hat and some small gifts for friends back home. 

After the market, they strolled around an ancient Buddhist temple, lovingly maintained by the monks who lived there. Kurt lit joss sticks and left a donation, liking the quiet serenity of the space. Blaine took pictures of the temple; Kurt took pictures of him, trying to be a little subtle about it.

This was their first long trip away together. Their Honeymoon. It still seemed amazing to Kurt sometimes. A couple years ago he was waking up from a coma, at one of the lowest points of his life. But a few days later, this man had walked into his room, his life, and everything had been getting better since then. It hasn’t been a smooth path, but that had just made it sweeter in the end. 

This man had been beside him for so much of it, quiet support, giving him a push when he needed it. His moon shining bright during his darkest times. Kurt couldn’t imagine Adam on this trip, being so easy going and adaptable. 

A scoffing sound nearby had Kurt jolting out of his thoughts. He turned to find Carole giving him a fond look. 

She stepped up to his side to give him a half-hug. “I thought you and Blaine were trying to act like friends in public. Anyone seeing the way you were just looking at him would know the truth.” 

Kurt knew she was only teasing him, and had often caught her giving them approving glances. Kurt leaned into her, and she shifted until it became a full hug. They had been doing this often during this trip. Since she had last visited New York, they had kept in touch with letters, emails, and care packages. Deepening their relationship in so many ways. They couldn’t have been closer if they were blood-related. It was nice to share hugs and small touches. 

Pulling back, Kurt gave her a happy smile. He picked up his phone. “I love him so much, Carole. I’m so lucky.”

“You are both lucky. He’s just as happy to be with you.” Carole said, pulling him towards the exit. 

When they got to the car, Kurt climbed into the backseat with Blaine. Carole just smirked at them in the rear view mirror, when Kurt snuggled up to his husband and stole some kisses. _Newlyweds._

...

“I really just want to shower and be lazy tonight. Is that OK with you?” Kurt went to the window to look down at the city street below. They had checked into the hotel, and Carole was in her own room, a little tired from all the driving today.

Blaine came up to stand behind him, snaking his arms loosely around his waist. “Do you need help in the shower?”

The question had Kurt laughing in his almost silent way. Plumbing was a little different in Thailand than Blaine was used to, and Kurt often had to explain things. 

“I’ve been here before. I know how it all works.” Kurt grinned as he typed. 

Rolling his eyes at that, Blaine stood and took off his tee, leaving him in only shorts and sandals. A lot of beautiful olive skin on display. “I meant maybe I could scrub your back.”

Getting up, Kurt let his hands trace down his muscular chest, loving how he felt and his response to his touch. He nodded, and tugged his husband towards the washroom. 

They both stripped before entering, and then closed the door. There was white tile covering the floor and up the wall to about six feet. The floor sloped slightly towards a drain on one side. Kurt grabbed the showerhead off the wall, turning on the tap and spraying Blaine. 

Letting out a squawk, Blaine grabbed the sprayer near the toilet, and tried to get Kurt back. The hose wasn’t as long, so he ended up getting soaked before Kurt directed the water over himself, wetting his hair and rinsing off. 

Pushing his wet hair off his face, Blaine got up to stand behind Kurt, picking up a sponge and lathering it up. “I think I will kind of miss these washrooms when we go back home. It’s nice having so much space.” 

Kurt had to leave his phone outside, so it wouldn’t get wet. He relied on expressions and gestures. Their signing wasn’t that good yet. He pointed to the hose near the toilet with a questioning look.

Blaine chuckled. “Yeah, the bum gun took a little getting used to, but it feels cleaner now to rinse off afterwards.” He remembered using it the first time and ending up with water everywhere. 

Shrugging, Kurt poured out some shampoo and took his time working it into Blaine’s thick hair, massaging his scalp in firm circles. Blaine returned the favor, loving that they had time on this holiday for little things like this. Touching, being intimate, unrushed showers. 

They both felt relaxed by the time they dried off and slipped on clean underwear. The hotel had better Wi-Fi than they had in the village, so they got into bed and caught up on their emails and social media. They watched an American TV show, just wanting something familiar, cuddling together. 

Kurt was almost asleep when Blaine started kissing his neck, running his hand down his bare chest. Giving him a drowsy smile, Kurt welcomed his kiss. 

“Relax. Let me take care of you.” Blaine whispered, obviously more in the mood than Kurt was. 

In the last year, they had gone through all the phases. Months of almost constant sex, then periods when one or both of them were busier with work projects, and the sex was more sporadic. Stealing away for a weekend out of the city for some concentrated couple time. Many simple nights of cuddling, eating dinner, enjoying sharing time together.

They were comfortable enough together to ask for what they wanted. Kurt was a little tired, but seeing his husband’s desire was sparking something in him as well. He shifted into a more comfortable position, and ran his hand through Blaine’s hair encouragingly. 

Blaine knew the signs, and kissed down Kurt’s chest. His mouth felt fantastic, and his hands slid over his skin. “You feel so good.” Blaine murmured, nuzzling against Kurt’s hip. “Smell so good.”

Kurt missed his voice so much at times like this. Often, he would softly say a few words in response. But he couldn’t now. Instead, he arched into Blaine’s touch, letting his body language show that he was aroused and just as into this now. 

Blaine was thorough, his mouth and hands going everywhere, teasing and stroking. Building Kurt’s arousal up slowly, until he was panting for more. 

Impatient with the teasing, Kurt rolled Blaine over on to his back and straddled him. Blaine had prepped him enough that he was able to adjust fairly quickly, and was soon riding him at a slow, steady pace. Grinding, speeding up sometimes, loving seeing Blaine getting close, before slowing down again. 

“Enough!” Blaine said with a growl, grabbing Kurt’s upper arms and shifted him over on to his back. Pushing Kurt’s legs up to his chest, Blaine knelt as close as possible, holding them in that perfect position. He was moving fast then, pounding into Kurt hard with each stroke. He was strong, and a bit rough. They were both sweaty, and Kurt was arching up to meet each thrust, loving it. 

A few minutes later, they were lying together, sated, exhausted. Blaine chuckled. “Should we go have another water fight? Rinse off?” 

...

“Kurt, can you get another box of syringes?” Carole asked, putting one into the sharps container nearby. 

Nodding, Kurt went to their plastic tubs of medical supplies, and found what she needed. They had worked together enough he was able to anticipate most of her needs, keeping the patients moving along at a steady pace. 

Carole gave him a grateful look. “Why don’t you take a break and find Blaine? I’ll be out there in about fifteen minutes.”

Kurt nodded, walking out of the makeshift medical office. Like most of the camp, it was a simple structure made out of bamboo, on high stilts to keep it dry during the rainy season. 

He walked down the unpaved street, taking in the crowded conditions. Many children were running around, dressed in faded, old clothing. Adults seemed to sit in the open areas of their houses, taking care of small children or simply watching the people on the street. Many were watching him with curiosity as he walked along. 

Getting to the center of the camp, he went to the shady area in front of the small school. Blaine was sitting on a rock, strumming his guitar, and there was a good-sized crowd gathered around him. It was like he was busking on a busy street in New York. 

Seeing Kurt, Blaine brightened up and beckoned him close with a tilt of his head. “Hey everybody! My assistant is here! Now everybody follow along with his dance steps.” 

Kurt chuckled, and grabbed his phone. “You better not play the Macarena. Or the Chicken Dance.” 

Blaine smirked back, and started strumming an upbeat melody. _“Head, shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes...”_. His voice was clear and confident, smiling as he sang. 

Rolling his eyes, Kurt moved his hands to touch the body parts mentioned in the song, and by the second verse, was getting into it. He had been a performer too many years to not want to engage his audience, feeling good as more kids began to follow along with the dance. 

Slowing down, Blaine taught them the lyrics, and had them all giggling as he sped up the song until they could hardly keep up with the song or the dance. 

Carole had joined in, dancing at the back of the group with everyone else. By the time Blaine played the last chord, she got everyone clapping, and went to stand beside him. “Great job! Come on, let’s get some lunch.”

Pretty soon, they were sitting on a blanket with a simple meal of rice and vegetables, Blaine was practically bursting with questions. “Kovit, can you tell me more about this camp? I’m afraid I don’t know much.” 

Kovit was a Thai man in his late forties, a liaison between the Thai government and the refugee camp. He had welcomed them in the morning, giving them a quick tour before leaving Carole to her work. She had already visited the camp a few other times. 

“This is one of the nine refugee camps that were set up along the western border about thirty years ago. Most of the residents are from Myanmar, part of a minority ethnic group that were driven out during decades of war.” Kovit explained patiently as he ate. 

Blaine glanced around at all the children and young adults. “Thirty years?”

Seeing where he was looking, Kovit nodded. “Yes, many residents were born here. They know nothing but the camp.”

Kurt had become comfortable using his phone in front of strangers in the last year. “Can they go back? Or become Thai citizens?” 

Shaking his head regretfully, Kovit met his eyes. “A few have gone back, many have moved on to another country, many to your country.” He gave a small smile at that. “But the ones here are restricted to the camps, and rely heavily on non-profit organizations for everything.” 

They talked on as they ate, the Thai man very open to answering their questions. Pretty soon, Carole and Kurt headed back to do more immunizations, and Blaine came along with his guitar to entertain the people in line. 

...

The sun was setting by the time Kurt and Blaine were loading the plastic bins back into the car. Carole had disappeared, pulled away by some local women who she knew from her other visits. 

“Should I go look for her? She’s been gone a long time.” Blaine asked, leaning against the car. 

Kurt took a long sip of water. “Let’s give it another ten minutes. We’ll just get lost trying to find her in the darkness.”

They were both a little tired from the long day, but felt good about being able to help so many people. The people had been grateful, and welcoming. 

When Carole finally appeared, it was even darker out. She was carrying a cloth wrapped bundle in her arms. “Sorry. That took a little while. Let’s go.”

She opened her car door, and urged the men inside. Kurt ended up in the backseat, Blaine in the front. Before Kurt shut his door, Carole put the bundle on to his lap. Kurt looked up at her with wide eyes.

She sighed. “Don’t worry. It’s authorized that I take him back to our clinic for a medical review. We can do more for him than they can here. I’ll explain it more later at the hotel.”

With that, she closed his door, and got into the driver’s seat. As they drove out of the camp, Kurt shifted the light bundle in his arms. Blaine was looking back at him from the passenger seat, curious as well.

When they got back on the highway, there was better lighting, and Kurt pulled the blanket slowly open. There was a tiny boy sleeping there, likely around three years old, but it was hard to tell because he was so thin. The movement must have woken him, as his large dark eyes opened and he sleepily blinked up at Kurt. 

Kurt wished he could say some comforting words, or at least make some comforting noises. He couldn’t, so he tried to convey that with his eyes, while rubbing the little boy’s back through the blanket. 

It either worked, or the boy was tired enough that he closed his eyes and seemed to fall asleep. Cuddling him closer, Kurt wrapped the blanket back around him. 

_Sleep tight, little one._

...

-A/N: Sorry it’s taken a while to update! Thanks HKVoyage for suggesting a refugee camp as a possible setting for the story. It was interesting researching them. I will give a little more info about them in later chapters. 

-Floating Markets: Take a long boat along the canals, and then shop and eat from the comfort of your boat. I’m picturing them at Amphawa, the second most popular market in Thailand, located 90 km south west of Bangkok. 1 min clip [here.](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=mwIIuSvu8CE)

-Thai street food: ‘Som tam (papaya salad) is one of the most popular dishes in Thailand and comes in a variety of serving styles. The basic dish consists of shredded green papaya, tomatoes, carrots, peanuts, dried shrimp string beans, sugar, garlic, fish sauce, lime juice, and plenty of chilies. The ingredients are mixed together using a mortar and pestle, which blends the flavors beautifully.’ Carole is having a sausage: ‘The pork is usually mixed with ingredients like lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, galangal, and often red chilli paste as well.’ Article [ here.](https://theculturetrip.com/asia/thailand/articles/14-mouth-watering-thai-street-foods-you-ll-love/)

-Velvet Underground: Wikipedia “The Velvet Underground was an American rock band formed in 1964 in New York City by Lou Reed, John Cale, Sterling Morrison, and Angus MacLise. The band was active until 1973, and briefly managed by the pop artist Andy Warhol, serving as the house band at the Factory and his events from 1966 to 1967. They had little commercial success, but they are now recognized as one of the most influential bands in rock, underground, experimental, and alternative music. In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked the band No. 19 on its list of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time".” I love the changing tempos of their song ‘Heroin’, video video [ here.](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=skxi4NTqFlw)

-Thai Buddhist Temple Etiquette: Quick video [ here.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kD1gMnvbacc)

-Bum Gun: In many countries, bathrooms don’t have toilet paper, using water to rinse off instead, and tiling the whole room instead of having a separate shower stall. Thai places usually have a little sprayer on a hose hanging near the toilet. 1.5 min video[ here.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNtid2Zpk5A)

-Head, Shoulders, Knees & Toes. I can picture Blaine teaching the kids this song and making it go faster and faster, like in this 2 min video[ here.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXSvUdvPL9Q%22)

-Thai Refugee Camp: In August 2008, First Last Laura Bush visited one of the largest camps. Good 3 min video from CNN that summarizes the situation is [ here.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1Xi0Pn1opI)


	4. Chapter 4

As soon as Kurt had a quick breakfast, he headed over to the clinic, searching until he found Carole. She was busy with a patient, but nodded when she saw him. 

As soon as she could, she finished up and found him in the waiting area. “You want to see the boy?” she asked, setting a hand on his shoulder. 

Nodding as he got up, Kurt knew his concern was showing on his face. 

Carole didn’t dilly-dally. Taking his hand, she led him into the area of the clinic that had hospital beds. Kurt hadn’t been back there much, usually just helping Carole in the outpatient areas. 

Pulling aside a privacy curtain, she waved towards a bed with a very small lump beneath the covers. Kurt went around the bed, squatting down to look at the boy’s face. He had been bathed and wore clean pyjamas, appearing uninjured as he slept soundly. 

Grabbing his phone, Kurt stepped back to her side. “Who is he? Why did you bring him here?”

Taking his hand again, Carole led him into the staff break room to get them both some bottled water. Sitting down, she took a sip as she waited for Kurt to settle down. “He was born at the camp, likely about three years ago. His mother’s records aren’t that good, but it seems she was either born there as well, or arrived as a young girl.”

“Where is she now? Why isn’t she with him?” Kurt asked.

Shaking her head slowly, Carole looked down for a moment. “She's dead.” 

Kurt was confused. “How? And where is his father?” 

Sighing, Carole gave a little shrug. “She apparently was walking around the forest near the camp, gathering bamboo or thatch for her home, and stepped on a landmine. By the time she was discovered, she was dead, either from the explosion or bleeding out. No one is really sure who the father is. Refugee records aren’t very complete.” 

“Landmines!” Kurt’s voice app didn’t have any inflection, but his expressive face showed his shock. 

“The border between Thailand and Myanmar is 2000 km long, and much of it has landmines. The result of decades of unrest.” Carole explained. 

At times like this, Kurt could only stare at Carole in amazement. She had been a nurse for decades, and seen so many things he couldn’t even imagine. She took things in stride that would send him around the bend. 

“And the boy…?” Kurt finally asked, when what she had told him had a chance to sink in. 

Carole gave a small smile. “He seems healthy, but he hasn’t been responsive to the medical staff at the camp since he was found with his mother. They didn’t see him before that, so it was likely a home birth. The other refugees couldn’t tell them much about him. She might have been a little isolated, perhaps an unwed mother.”

“He was with her? With the landmine...when she died?” Kurt’s eyes widened again. Images flashing through his mind were horrendous. “No wonder he’s like that. He’s traumatized.” 

Reaching out, Carole laid her hand over Kurt’s. “Well, we will check him over, see if he has any medical issues. If not, he will be sent back to the camp, likely adopted by another family there.” 

Kurt sighed, squeezing her hand in return. He had been eight years old when his mother had died, but at least he still had his father to help him afterwards. This little boy was an orphan. “What is his name?”

Carole gave a small shrug. “The camp officials have been calling him _Daw Sud._ It’s a Thai name meaning ‘Star Tiger’.”

That made Kurt smile a little. That tiny boy was hardly a tiger. More like a helpless kitten. 

… 

Kurt made a point of stopping by Daw Sud’s area whenever he could, peaking around the curtain. He slept a lot, and was often being examined by the health professionals. When he was awake, he didn’t seem to be very aware of his surroundings, looking a little lost.

After a few days, Kurt saw him outside of his room, sitting outside in the shade with a nurse or walking around the courtyard. He seemed to be stronger, although still quiet compared to other boys his age. His large dark eyes watched everything, his expression neutral, never making a sound. Carole gave Kurt updates, saying that he was healthy, but likely still dealing with the trauma of losing his mother in such a violent way. 

…

“OK, I’m going to teach you a new song about apples and bananas. Sing along as you learn the words.” Blaine smiled at the gathering of young village kids, sitting on a stool with his guitar. 

Kurt just grinned at his husband, handing him a cold bottle of Coke. Blaine had taken to strumming his guitar on the shady main floor area of their house, the open area below the stilts. It was tiled and had some simple furniture. Village kids seemed to be drawn like magnets, bugging him to play for them. 

_”I like to eat, eat, eat… apples and bananas….”_ Blaine sang, strumming along. 

To show off his growing ASL skills, Kurt stood behind the kids and signed along to the song, just for Blaine’s amusement. The song was fairly repetitive, with easy signs, so he added in a few hip shakes and goofy expressions, trying to make him laugh. 

The kids were all joining in, most of them knowing a little English from school. They were laughing, looking back at Kurt and grinning at his antics. 

Kurt’s eyes skimmed over the kids, loving their playful nature. His eyes landed on one small boy who wasn’t singing along, and realized with a shock that it was Daw Sud. He was dressed like the other kids, fitting in quite well at first glance, except that he wasn’t singing or laughing along. His large dark eyes were taking everything in, seeming more interested than Kurt had ever seen him yet. 

The little boy must have felt his gaze, as he turned to watch Kurt. Not wanting to make him uncomfortable, Kurt looked away and kept up his act. When Blaine went onto other songs, Kurt glanced his way occasionally, and saw Daw Sud watching him. Did he remember Kurt at all from the long ride here from the camp?

…

The next day, Kurt took a break from working with Carole by taking a snack outside the clinic, sitting on a bench in the shade. He had just finished peeling a mango when Daw Sud walked up to him and plunked on the bench beside him. 

Chuckling to himself, Kurt liked that he was acting more like a regular little boy. He seemed to have his strength back, and was interacting more with people like this, although he still wasn’t talking or very expressive. Carole told him that he’d likely be going back to the camp soon. 

Unsure what to do, Kurt couldn’t speak to him. The boy likely wouldn’t understand any English, and Kurt didn’t know Pwo Karen, the language of the Karen refugees. Instead, he held out a slice of mango, and felt good when the boy accepted it. They shared the rest of the fruit, the boy seeming quite hungry. He looked at the banana Kurt had also brought along for his snack. 

Kurt looked at it, and remembered Blaine singing the song the other day. Had the boy understood it at all? Experimentally, he pointed at the banana, and did the ASL sign for banana, miming peeling his finger. He repeated it a few times, giving the boy encouraging looks. He got a confused look in response.

Sighing, Kurt passed him the fruit, and the boy quickly ate it. 

Taking a sip from his water bottle, Kurt chuckled a bit to himself. _Well, it worked in the ‘Miracle Worker’, right? Maybe it could work here too._

Holding up his middle three fingers spread apart in a W formation, he turned his hand sideways and tapped his first finger against his mouth. WATER.

The motion got another confused look from the boy. Kurt grinned encouragingly, repeating the motion. 

Setting down the banana peel, the boy lifted his hand, and imitated Kurt’s motions. The sign wasn’t perfect, only two fingers close together, but it was a good try. 

Smiling widely, Kurt nodded happily. _Yes, yes, yes!_ He slowed the motion down, showing Daw Sud his fingers until the boy copied it, and then tapping against his mouth. WATER.

It took a few minutes, and lots of encouraging smiles and nods, but eventually the little boy did it. WATER. 

Kurt wanted to shout at this small progress. He had made the sign, but he didn’t know that it meant anything. When the boy made the sign again, Kurt nodded and passed him the water bottle, and then made the sign again himself. WATER. The boy drank a little. 

Touching his arm lightly, Kurt made the water sign, and then held his hand out for the water bottle. Daw Sud passed him the bottle, and Kurt gave him a big grin. He tried to make it a game, making the sign, and passing the bottle back and forth. It got a rare smile from the boy. Kurt could tell he wasn’t really understanding that the sign meant water. Maybe he was too young, or just needed more time for the idea to sink in. Needed time to get the association. 

Just happy to be around the boy, Kurt took a stick that was lying on the ground, and started drawing simple pictures in the dirt. The little boy seemed to like that, picking up his own stick and making his own designs. They worked together in companionable silence.

Kurt was jolted out of their playing by one of the clinic staff dropping a tray full of stainless steel bowls, making a huge clatter as they bounced and slid over the tile floor, easy to hear and see through the open doorway to the clinic. Laughing, Kurt jumped up and ran over to help the woman to pick everything up. 

When he looked back at Daw Sud, the boy was still concentrating on his drawing, totally in his own little world. 

…

“So, what are you going to do when you are in Bangkok?” Carole asked, walking around the night market with Blaine and Kurt. 

Kurt was fast on his phone. “The Grand Palace, the temple with the reclining Buddha, wander around Khan Sao road…”

“I want to watch a Muay Thai fight.” Blaine added in, grinning Kurt’s way. 

Carole chuckled when Kurt rolled his eyes. “Then again, who said we need to spend every minute together during our honeymoon? You go check out a fight, while I go to the National Museum.” 

Buying fried chicken, sticky rice, and some spicy shrimp soup, they carried the food out to the café tables under an awning for shade. Blaine had grown to love the fried chicken, marinated with spices and served with a spicy dipping sauce. They dug in hungrily, chatting about the other things to check out in Bangkok. 

Kurt was pulled out the conversation by a quiet presence beside him. Looking down, it was Daw Sud, and he grinned at him in greeting. The boy seemed to smile back with his eyes, still as quiet as ever. They had hung out often, drawing in the dirt, rolling a ball around, playing in quiet ways. Kurt liked that the boy was comfortable around him now. 

Pretty soon, the boy was running off to join the other children nearby, and Kurt liked seeing him interacting with the others, in his own way. 

Carole put a hand on his arm, and Kurt turned her way. She was giving him a shocked look. WHAT? Kurt signed, knowing she had been learning a little sign language as well.

“Did you see what Daw Sud just did?” 

Kurt gave her a confused look, thinking back on what had just happened. The boy had come over, and Kurt had given him a drink of water. Then the boy had rejoined his friends. He shrugged. 

Blaine was giving the shocked look as well. “He signed for water!” 

“Exactly! I’ll call him back, and we’ll try it with him.” Carole said, sitting up straighter and calling out to him in Thai. The boy’s attention was busy with something else, and it took another one of the kids to hear Carole and tap Daw Sud’s arm, and motion him to go back to them. 

When the boy got back, Carole and Blaine looked at Kurt expectantly. With his heart thumping, Kurt made sure Daw Sud was looking at him, and slowly made the sign. WATER.

The boy gave him a funny look, and then grabbed a water bottle from the table and passed it to Kurt. Then he ran back to join his friends, not noticing the cheers and applause coming from the small group. 

…

-A/N: Thank you for reading this story, and for your patience as I write it. I am learning a lot and hope I represent things fairly well. All errors are my own, and I appreciate helpful feedback. :D 

-Karen People: The Karen (pronounced kah-REHN) live mostly in the hilly eastern border region of Myanmar (formerly called Burma) cultivating hill rice and living in bamboo/thatch houses in small villages in the forest. The Karen refugees in Thailand camps still hold many of their old traditions, like preferring home birth with a traditional midwife over delivering a baby in a hospital (often for cultural reasons like being uncomfortable being uncovered in mixed company). Article about their culture is [here.](http://ethnomed.org/culture/karen/karen-cultural-profile)

-Landmines: Versions of early landmines have been used in warfare since the development of gunpowder in China 800 years ago. Now over 100 million anti-personnel landmines contaminate 78 countries around the world, killing 15 – 20 thousand people a year, and maiming countless others. Half the people who stand on a landmine die before they are found or can get to a hospital, and an even higher amount of children die due to their vital organs being closer to the blast. Most killings occur in times of peace, as the devices can stay active for up to 150 years. Along the 2000 km Thailand-Myanmar border, more than 3,000 people have died or been injured in recent years by landmines. More info [here.](http://english.cntv.cn/program/asiatoday/20130405/100255.shtml)  
Princess Diana made headlines in 1997 by visiting landmine area - 2.5 min video [here.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqA0FPXrsXY)  
Interesting use of trained giant rats to uncover landmines – 3 min video [here.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtvQWHVJF_Q)

-Apples & Bananas: A simple song for children, often used when teaching English. Video with ASL signing of lyrics [here.](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4R7kkTNQdYw%E2%80%9D)

-Helen Keller (1880-1968) was born in Alabama, and became deaf and blind due to an unknown illness at 19 months old, barely getting by with a rudimentary sign system with her family. When she was 7, Anne Sullivan, a blind teacher, moved into the house and taught her sign language. She soaked up knowledge and, at 24 years old, was the first deaf-blind person to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree. She went on to become a world-famous speaker and author, an advocate for people with disabilities and many other social issues of the day. 3 min video of Helen Keller and Annie Sullivan is [here.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ch_H8pt9M8)

\- The Miracle Worker: This 1957 play based on Helen Keller’s autobiography, ‘The Story of My Life’, was a hit on Broadway by 1959, and became a movie in 1962. The movie starred Anne Bancroft as Annie Sullivan, and Patty Duke as Helen Keller, who both won Oscars for their roles. 6 minute video clip of the infamous water signing scene is [here.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUV65sV8nu0%E2%80%99)

-Water ASL: Quick video clip [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m49LzvNVTgc)

-Bangkok Sites: A 10 minute video to give you the flavor of this city’s attractions [here.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4Zj0Ak11G4)


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a pretty sappy chapter! Beware!

Kurt smiled, following the path of candles in glass holders up the stairs and to the wide balcony. Flower petals were also strewn along the way. Music got louder as he turned the corner, and Blaine was waiting for him, dressed in a dark red cotton tunic and grey fisherman pants. 

Standing up, Blaine gave him a heartfelt smile, and walked towards him. Lifting his hand, he gave Kurt the single flower he held. “I love you so much, Kurt.” 

Leaning in, Kurt gave him a long, tender kiss, love for this man almost overwhelming him. What had he done to deserve such a fantastic man? Pulling back a little, he held Blaine’s eyes. I LOVE YOU. He signed it the longer way, pointing to himself, crossing his arms like an X over his chest, and then pointing to Blaine. 

With signing, they had learned from the videos how important facial expressions were to giving nuance and deeper meaning to the signs, and his eyes showed how much he meant those words. 

Giving a tender smile, Blaine gathered him close in a hug, and started to move, urging Kurt to slow dance with him. Kurt followed along, enjoying it.

As they swayed to the music, Kurt noticed that it was Blaine’s voice, his guitar. A recording playing from his tablet. It was all the songs he had been working on during this trip, often playing Kurt the rough drafts in the evenings, or strumming to himself as he worked on them. These were the polished, completed songs, and Kurt was amazed at all he had done. 

“Beautiful music, Blaine.” Kurt used his phone to communicate this time. It was the way he had spoken since recovering, his ‘normal’ way, and it came the most naturally to him now. ASL was handy for simple ideas, but their vocabulary wasn’t big enough yet to it use all the time. 

Blaine looked pleased at the compliment, proud of his work. Leading Kurt to the blanket he had laid out, he sat down. He had set out their dinner beautifully, in pretty dishes from their borrowed kitchen. “I was able to get so much work done here. It’s such a quiet, peaceful place.”

As they dug into the meal, Kurt looked over at his husband, admiring him. He looked relaxed and happy, his skin tanned despite diligent use of sunscreen. His hair was longer and very curly in this humidity, a little wild. Dressed in the loose tunic and wide-legged pants, he looked like a backpacker in his twenties. Adopting the hippie, bohemian style easily. 

Blaine was doing his fair share of looking back, and Kurt was happy he’d dressed in a turquoise t-shirt with a black mandala design, with khaki shorts. He had tanned a little, his fair skin showing a bit of color, and he felt well rested and happy. 

After eating, Blaine cleared away the dishes, not letting Kurt help, just leaving him with a beer on the hammock, swaying lazily. Kurt felt mellow, watching the candlelight flicker over the roof of their balcony as he listened to Blaine’s music. 

Blaine came back with dessert, setting it down and fumbling with the tablet. He picked a certain song, and went to stand where Kurt could see him. 

Again, it started with his guitar, and then his voice came on, singing the simple words, but his sincerity coming across. He signed along, his dark eyes full of love. 

YOU ARE SO BEAUTIFUL...TO ME  
CAN’T YOU SEE  
YOU’RE EVERYTHING I HOPED FOR  
YOU’RE EVERYTHING I NEED  
YOU ARE SO BEAUTIFUL...TO ME

Kurt was a mess by the end of the song, wiping away tears streaming down his cheeks. Blaine just shook his head, his eyes tender as he wiped a cloth napkin down Kurt’s face. 

Rolling his eyes, Kurt grabbed his phone. “Look what you do to me. Reduce me to a big puddle of goo.” 

“My beautiful puddle of goo.” Blaine cuddled with Kurt on the hammock, giving a satisfied hum when Kurt kissed him. 

“I can’t believe you learned that whole song, all those signs!” Kurt still felt touched by everything Blaine had done tonight, this whole romantic dinner.

Blaine shrugged a little. “I wanted to do something special for you.”

Kurt gave him a long kiss, trying to show how much he loved it. “You have always made me feel comfortable, never...damaged. Helping me feel normal using the voice app, and now learning to sign.”

“You aren’t damaged. You are You. The man I love with all my heart and feel incredibly blessed to be sharing my life with.” Blaine said, hugging Kurt tight. 

Tucking his face against Blaine’s neck, Kurt just breathed him in. Kurt was the lucky one, the blessed one, coming out of the accident with nothing and somehow getting this gorgeous, perfect man. Knowing each other so well, loving each other so deeply. He had never felt like this with anyone before. 

“Are you sad we are leaving soon?” Kurt eventually asked. 

Blaine shook his head. “It’s been a perfect break for us. Somewhere quiet and slow-paced, where we can sleep in, have lazy morning sex, shower and eat together. Get some work done, and then enjoy the evenings together, with Carole and her friends, or just the two of us. It will be weird going back to New York after this.” 

“Well, Bangkok will get us used to being in a loud, busy city again. There is so much to do there.” Kurt was looking forward to staying in a fancy hotel and spoiling themselves a little. 

Blaine nodded, giving Kurt a kiss near his ear. “You are sad to be going. I can tell. We’ll have to come here again, maybe once a year to see Carole.”

Kurt nodded, his eyes getting watery again, and hugged his husband tight. 

Pulling back, Blaine gave him a caring look. “This is about Daw Sud, isn’t it? You love him and you are worried about him.” 

Sighing, Kurt gave a little nod. “Look, I’m happy that they found out he is deaf, and that he’s taken to signing so well. But Carole said they won’t be able to keep him at the clinic much longer. He has to go back to the camp.”

It was Blaine who pieced everything together, seeing that Daw Sud didn’t respond to music like the other kids did. Everyone else had seen the signs, and dismissed his detachment as mourning his mother and reaction to that trauma. 

“Carole will keep tabs on him, make sure the refugee camp knows about his condition and getting him the best care.” Blaine rubbed along Kurt’s arm comfortingly. 

Kurt wiped away another tear. “I know. I wish we could take him back to the States with us, get him into the best deaf school, give him a real chance for a full, happy life.”

“Adopt?” Blaine stilled, looking down at Kurt. It was something they had mentioned in passing during their year living together, thinking of adopting in a few years when they were used to being married and more established in their careers. 

Kurt nodded. “I know it’s hopeless. Thailand doesn’t really support gay men adopting kids, and it would be even harder because Daw Sud is a refugee.” He had been researching on the Internet as much as the slow connection allowed, and even brought it up with Caroel. She knew of many Karen refugees who had moved to live in the USA, but didn’t think there had been adoptions by Americans.

Blaine nodded, having researched it a little himself. He couldn’t bear seeing Kurt looking so sad though. “Maybe, before we go, we could host a party. Say thanks and goodbye to everyone in the village, give Daw Sud some good memories before he goes back to the camp.” 

“That sounds nice.” Kurt said, still wishing there was more they could do. They had gay friends who had adopted from China, and knew it was a long, expensive process. It was futile even thinking they could succeed in bringing a special needs refugee to the US. It could take years, and it wasn’t fair to put Daw Sud’s life on hold that way. He was young, and needed to get into a deaf school as soon as possible, and that was most feasible within Thailand.

Blaine started throwing out party ideas, serving them dessert as he spoke, and Kurt joined in. It grew, basically becoming a casual wedding reception for Carole and her adopted Thai family, wanting to include all the people who had welcomed Kurt and Blaine. 

...

“Enough! I need to sit down!” Carole laughed, tugging Kurt away from the dance area and sitting down at a table. She took a long sip of her drink, smiling as Kurt sat down beside her. 

He sipped his cocktail, some potent mix of fruit juice and alcohol that was going down far too easily. Chuckling, he picked up his phone. “You are getting old! You should move back to the States with us. Let me take care of you in your retirement.”

Carole scoffed. “Just because I can’t keep up with you on the dance floor doesn’t mean I’m decrepit! I’ve got a few years left in me yet!” She patted his arm, knowing he was only teasing her. “Besides, I wouldn’t want to cramp your style. You newlyweds hardly need me around.”

Kurt gave her hand a squeeze. “Carole, I mean it. I know living in Thailand after Dad passed was good for you, but I hope you know I love you and will always be there for you. If you find in a few years that you are slowing down, I hope you would consider moving back to be closer to us. We could find you a nice apartment nearby, and you could even work part time if you wanted. Hannah is doing that these days.”

Kurt had kept in contact with Hannah and the other nurses who had helped him recover from the coma, often having them over for dinner parties. Hannah was responsible for getting Blaine reading to Kurt, after all. 

Carole gave him a warm look. “Kurt, I have thought about it. I have the money from selling the house and other savings, so I can afford to retire when I’m ready. Maybe in a few years, I will look into moving to New York. I’ve always liked visiting you there.” 

Burt and Carole had visited New York at least twice a year, seeing Kurt’s shows, letting him spoil them with fancy meals out and hosting them at the country house when he was between productions. They had tolerated Adam, always polite around him, but never warming to him that deeply. It was too bad that Burt had never met Blaine. They would have gotten along so well. 

“Well, maybe in a few years, there will be grandkids in need of a grandma. Perhaps that will be enough incentive to get you to move back.” Kurt grinned, looking over where Blaine was dancing with a bunch of little kids, acting like a goof to make them giggle. 

Carole grinned widely, and squeezed Kurt’s hand. “Yes, that would definitely work.” Her eyes welled up, and Kurt gave her a tight hug. He was going to miss her so much. 

Blaine tapped on Kurt’s shoulder a few moments later. “Should we do it now?” 

Nodding, Kurt let go of Carole and stood up, tugging his clothes into place. “Yes. Want to collect the kids?”

Carole chuckled. “What now? You already did this whole big party for us! Everyone will be talking about it for ages.” She waved around at the happy gathering. 

They had gotten permission to hold it in the courtyard of the clinic, stringing up lights and setting up tables and chairs. The tables were decorated with flowers and candles, the buffet table full of tasty treats and a local man hired to be the bartender. Blaine had befriended many local musicians and they had gathered at one end, with an impromptu dance area nearby. Most of the villagers had stopped by for a visit, eating some food and saying goodbye to Kurt and Blaine, often congratulating them on their marriage. 

Kurt winked at her, and went to join Blaine with most of the village’s elementary-aged kids. Blaine started the music on his tablet, hooked up to some speakers. The distinctive “A-weema-weh, a-weema-weh, a-weema-weh, a-weema-weh” started and all the kids were dancing along to the beat with Kurt and Blaine, making all their audience laugh. 

_In the jungle, the mighty jungle_  
_The lion sleeps tonight_  
_In the jungle the quiet jungle_  
_The lion sleeps tonight..._

Kurt and Blaine were lip-syncing to the lyrics, working the crowd, both natural performers. They both also signed the lyrics, with the kids following along as well as they could. They had only a couple days of practice. A lot of the song was nonsense words that everyone just jumped and danced around. Daw Sud was right there in the thick of it, his eyes taking in the rhythm and following Kurt in doing the signs. 

By the second chorus, many of the adults were up and dancing along, trying to do the signs. For the last section, Kurt just picked up Daw Sud, sitting him on his hip and dancing along, since the last section didn’t have any signing. By the end, everyone was applauding, and Kurt and Blaine showed the kids how to bow. 

...

“Oh that’s so good...,” Blaine moaned, as slick hands moved down his back. 

Kurt slapped his shoulder, shooting him a glare.

Chuckling, Blaine grinned back at him. “Sorry honey. Your massages are great, but Lawana is making me wonder if I’ve been playing for the right team.” 

Rolling his eyes, Kurt knew Blaine was joking, and relaxed back into his own massage. The woman working on him was finding tight areas, working them loose, leaving him boneless. 

It had been a full day at this luxurious spa, with facials and body wraps, manicures and pedicures, and now this couple’s massage. Kurt felt refreshed, beautiful and relaxed. 

Tomorrow they were heading home, and this was a good end to the trip. Bangkok had been fun chaos, diving into the huge city, exploring, shopping and eating until they dropped, exhausted, into their bed each night. 

“Let’s just get some street food from that place a block away afterwards.” Blaine said, his voice drowsy and mellow. 

Kurt nodded. Sticky rice, fresh mango, spicy grilled meats...sounded like the perfect meal. Then back to the hotel, the last night of their honeymoon. 

...

Hours later, Kurt came back to the bed, passing Blaine a cold bottle of water and a damp facecloth. He cleaned up, dropping the cloth on the tile floor, and guzzled down the water. 

Feeling a little shy, Kurt crawled back into the bed, hiding what was in his hand for now. 

Blaine cuddled against his side, both feeling good. Relaxed. “I’m going to miss this.”

Chuckling, Kurt picked up his phone. “All the sex?”

Rolling his eyes, Blaine shot him a fond look. “It’s our honeymoon. We are supposed to be having orgasms on an hourly basis.”

“Hourly??!” Kurt’s voice app said the word neutrally, but his raised eyebrows and naughty grin made Blaine laugh. “Well, we can rest for twenty minutes or so then.”

“Yup.” Blaine agreed. His fingertips traced down Kurt’s chest. “Mmmmm your skin feels so smooth. I want to kiss you everywhere.”

“In twenty minutes, sure.” Kurt smirked, gathering his nerves and pressing the small item into Blaine’s hand. 

Looking down at the intricately carved wooden box, Blaine gave Kurt a lopsided grin. “What’s this?”

A GIFT. Kurt signed, too impatient to type. 

Opening the box, Blaine took out a wide silver ring. It had a dark matte background with shiny symbols circling it. 

“It is made in Thailand, made by the Hill Tribes like the Karen, and it spins. It supposed to be good for meditation and for luck.” Kurt touched the ring, showing Blaine that the outer section could move, while the inner part was still. 

Blaine played with it, examining the carvings. He looked at the inside of the ring. “What are all those numbers?” In a small font, it was clearly engraved with _40° 39' 0.0072'' N and 73° 56' 59.9892'' W_. 

Taking the ring, Kurt held Blaine’s right hand and pushed it on to his middle finger. It was a thick band, suiting his hand, and Kurt was happy it fit so well. 

“They are the coordinates of where I first saw you.” Kurt explained, again feeling a bit shy. He wasn’t as good at romantic gestures as Blaine was. 

Chuckling and looking pleased, Blaine raised Kurt’s chin to give him a kiss. “Really? That apartment in Brooklyn? That’s where I first saw you as well, weeks earlier, if you don’t count when I saw you performing.”

Kurt kissed the ring, and Blaine’s knuckle, happy that he seemed to like it. “I was so out of it, that room just a blur of nurses coming and going, doctors prodding me. And then this hot man with dark curly hair comes in, wearing a black hoody and dark jeans, offering to read a Vogue to me. How could I resist? I was hooked from that moment.” 

“You are so full of shit.” Blaine replied, but couldn’t hold back his grin. 

Kurt looked down, feeling so much for this man. “I looked forward to your visits. They really kept me going, kept me motivated. You treated me like a person, not a patient.”

“I was so nervous around you in the beginning. I’m surprised you didn’t call me a stupid fanboy and kick me out.” Blaine remembered, playing with the spinning part of his new ring. 

Giving a silent chuckle, Kurt shook his head. “I was so disappointed when you mentioned Sam, and I thought he was your boyfriend. I was already so into you.”

“Really? You never told me that before. Before I moved in?” Blaine shifted closer, snuggling against Kurt’s side. 

Pausing to give some deep kisses, Kurt could feel a spark of arousal from the way Blaine returned them. “I think that was about a month after I woke up. I was starting to get my strength back, moving around the apartment.”

“Well, I’ll be forever thankful that I got the job to set up your apartment, and that we met there. I love the ring, Kurt.” Blaine gave him a deep kiss, a bit raunchier then the last one. “Has it been twenty minutes yet?” 

Kurt arched into Blaine’s touch as he kissed down his neck, the slight scratch of his whiskers with his soft, warm lips making his skin tingle. Funny how, in the end, Adam was the one who had hired Blaine, the one responsible for bringing this incredible man into his life. 

Kurt pushed the errant thought away, crawling over Blaine to kiss down his chest. Determined to enjoy every last second of their honeymoon. 

...

“Want to use my tablet?” Blaine asked, offering it to Kurt. 

Sighing, Kurt shook his head. He looked out the window of the airport, watching as planes taxied slowly across the tarmac. He felt tired, anxious, and bored. 

“Look, how about we go to the store and buy some magazines or a book? We have hours to kill.” Blaine pointed out gently. 

Kurt had been getting more and more anxious all day, packing and getting ready for the airport. They weren’t sure of the traffic and lines at the security check in, so they had left very early. Things had gone smoothly with the customs agent, this one unfazed by Kurt using the voice app to speak. Luckily, now they were just waiting at the gate for their plane. Kurt was still using his devices sparingly, not wanting the batteries depleted like last time. It left him feeling too vulnerable. 

Nodding in agreement, Kurt made sure he had everything when they got up. The store was designed for travelers, with drinks, snacks, candy, magazines and small touristy gifts. Taking their time browsing around, Blaine picked up some gum to help with the air pressure in the plane, and a coconut water. Kurt had a copy of Vanity Fair tucked under his arm, and was reading the back of a suspense novel. 

“Oh, you are heading back to New York!” 

Kurt turned to a shorter Thai man, wearing a uniform, his smile taking over his face in delight. 

_Oh. His ‘Superfan’._ Kurt shot Blaine a look, and then nodded with a kind smile to his admirer. 

Blaine walked over, taking Kurt’s items to purchase them, while Kurt stepped outside the store with the Thai man. 

“Yes, we fly out at 3.” Kurt typed quickly on his phone, and watched the amazement in the man’s face when he hit Speak. 

“That is your voice! Incredible! I have seen you use it on videos, but it wasn’t working when you were at the airport last time.” 

Kurt smiled, one of his dimples showing. “That’s right. You have a good memory.”

The man chuckled. “As if I could ever forget meeting Kurt Hummel!” 

Blaine joined them. “I don’t think we caught your name last time. I’m Blaine Anderson.” He held out his hand. 

The man shook it eagerly. “Kiet Janlee.”

Kurt shook his hand as well. “How do you spell that?” With unusual names, he liked to spell it correctly since the voice app went back to the default voice. He apologized for how the name was pronounced by the voice app, but Kiet seemed delighted. 

“Mr. Hummel, did you say your flight isn’t until 3 pm? I have a break now. Could I buy you both a drink? Tea or coffee? It would be my honor to do so.” Kiet was oddly formal in his offer, obviously not wanting to overstep his bounds. 

Kurt shared a glance with Blaine before looking back at Kiet. “Please, call us Kurt and Blaine. We would love to have a drink with you.” The man was respectful and had helped them out so much last time, it was the least they could do. 

Ten minutes later, they were in a private corner of a restaurant. Kiet seemed to be a respected person at the airport, the staff glancing at his uniform and all standing a little straighter. He rattled off instructions in Thai, and there was soon a pot of tea and a carafe of coffee on the table, along with a tray of desserts. 

“This looks wonderful. Thank you, Kiet.” Blaine smiled, pouring himself some coffee. 

Kurt stirred milk into his tea, and took a light green square. 

“ _Khanom chan_ ,” Kiet smiled as he took one as well. “My favorite.”

The dessert had nine thin layers, alternating between light green and creamy white. Kurt could taste the coconut milk and jasmine, with the green layers having a slightly different flavor. It was similar to a mousse in texture. 

Blaine dug into a coconut custard, a food he often gravitated to when they saw it in markets. “I have travelled quite a bit, and never been somewhere as friendly as your country, Kiet.”

The older man preened at the compliment. “Thank you, Blaine. Were you able to see very much?”

“Mostly, we stayed in a village near Korat, where Kurt’s step-mother works as a nurse.” Blaine explained. 

Kurt nodded. “We will have to explore more next trip.” 

“Oh, you are already planning to come back before you have left? That’s wonderful.” Kiet gave a genuine smile. 

He was a kind man, and seemed in no rush to get back to work, encouraging Kurt and Blaine to drink and eat more. They discussed his job and the country, his family, and his love of musicals. He had learned English by memorizing many of Kurt’s songs, and had them chuckling when he sang a little. He had a pretty good voice. 

Blaine ended up pulling out his tablet, showing Kiet pictures from their vacation. He was intrigued by the village, as he had never travelled to that area. 

“This was from our last night there. We did a little dance to say thank you and goodbye.” Blaine said, showing Kiet the video of ‘The Lion Sleeps Tonight’. Kiet laughed along at the dancing and the happy children. 

Kurt watched as well, and seeing Daw Sud on his hip, smiling so widely, made him turn away. He grabbed a tissue and tried to be discrete as he wiped his eyes. 

Kiet was looking at him, concerned. 

Blaine put a comforting hand over Kurt’s. “Sorry, Kiet. We have been in Bangkok for a week and already we miss people who were close to us.”

Kiet nodded, looking interested, and Blaine ended up explaining what happened with Daw Sud, showing pictures from the refugee camp and the village. 

“We are scared what will happen with him, being a refugee orphan with a disability. We would love to take him back to the States, get him into a school for the deaf, but it seems impossible.” Blaine concluded, stroking his hand on Kurt’s arm. 

Excusing himself, Kurt walked quickly to the men’s washroom. He took his time, splashing water on his face. Trying to pull himself together. 

Back at the table, the servers were clearing away the dirty dishes, and Kiet was paying the bill, refusing to let Blaine contribute. 

Outside the restaurant, Kurt encouraged Kiet to take selfies with them, knowing he felt a little shy asking for them now they knew each other better. 

“We should get your contact information, so next time we can arrange to take you to dinner.” Kurt said with a smile. 

Kiet looked pleased. “I would like that.” 

“I already got his information, Kurt.” Blaine said, taking his hand. 

Saying goodbye to their new friend, they went back to their gate, happy to read for an hour until the plane was ready. 

...

It was a long flight, and they tried to sleep for most of it. Kurt was looking forward to getting home, taking a long hot shower, and sleeping in his own bed. Then going out for a big juicy cheeseburger with cheesecake for dessert as soon as possible. The food in Thailand had been wonderful, but he needed some American comfort food. 

In the airport, Kurt headed straight for the washrooms, never feeling that comfortable using the ones on the planes. He washed his face, freshening up a little, not wanting to look too terrible in case he ran into a fan or someone else who recognized him. It was cool outside, so he pulled on a black knit cap, covering up his messy hair. 

“If that’s a disguise, you’ll have to do better.” 

The voice was familiar, that British accent making Kurt tense up before he spun around. _Adam._

He still looked handsome as ever, dressed in a black leather jacket, dark jeans and a blue polo shirt. His smile was relaxed and wide, his eyes quickly looking over Kurt approvingly. 

“My oh my, you have a bit of a tan, Mr. Hummel. You must be just getting back from somewhere warm.” 

Perhaps it was being a bit tired from the long flight, and the emotions stirred up over Daw Sud, but Kurt grabbed his phone and typed fast. “Yes, I just got back from my honeymoon. I’m married to Blaine Anderson now...do you remember him? The guy you sent an email to with my tablet, pretending to be me, trying to keep us apart?”

His voice app said it neutrally, but Kurt’s glare spoke volumes. Adam was familiar with what Kurt was like when he was mad, and his smile dimmed. “Oh, I, um....Blaine?....”

Kurt knew him too well to be suckered into him trying to fake not remembering Blaine or the shitty thing he had done over a year ago. The asshole knew, guilt showing clearly in the way he couldn’t meet Kurt’s eyes. 

“Look...it was a strange time for me...” Adam held his hands out, trying to calm Kurt down. Trying to weasel his way out of it. 

Kurt rolled his eyes with a huff. He wanted to scream, kick, punch, pull hair...anything to show this man the months of pain he had caused both Kurt and Blaine. Kurt wasn’t an angel, but things would have been quicker and easier if Adam had been a decent person. It could have been screwed up forever, so easily. 

Finally, just needing to do something, anything, to express all those emotions, Kurt started signing. He didn’t know enough to do many full sentences, but it was satisfying to use every swear word, infusing it all with his expressions, with large, angry motions of his hands. 

Adam stood there, stunned, watching as Kurt signed at him, looking cornered and ashamed. 

It took a few minutes before Kurt’s hands dropped, everything expressed even if the shithead had only gotten the gist, that Kurt had felt betrayed and hurt and he was boiling mad about it. 

“Um...OK...you are right. I’m sorry, Kurt. For everything...I’ll go now.” Adam said softly, almost reaching out to pat Kurt’s arm, but stepping back when Kurt practically snapped at him. He slinked away quickly, and Kurt was glad he had vanished. 

Kurt washed his hands again, feeling the need to wash away the horrible things he had said with them. He looked at himself ruefully in the mirror, just glad that no one had witnessed that embarrassing exchange, and that Adam understood very little. 

He went back to his husband, taking his hand and leaning against his side. Blaine took it as exhaustion from the flight, and Kurt didn’t correct him. They were soon in an Uber, heading home.

...

-A/N: Just one more chapter after this! Thanks for reading!

-ASL Note: Thanks to the ASL translator, reading4mindexercise, who has been giving me feedback on this story. In the last chapter, she commented "There are many on YouTube that are very good quality but often times videos are submitted by people with limited knowledge of the vocabulary and sentence structure of ASL. There are several good dictionary websites but I have found ASLPro.cc a very good source." Please check out that website for the most accurate ASL information.  
I will be continuing to use the youtube videos mostly, as they would be what Kurt & Blaine are often using in this early stage of learning the language. 

-Fisherman Pants: Wide legged pants that you fold, tie and fold over to make them fit almost anyone. How to do this is [ here.](https://www.google.ca/amp/s/m.wikihow.com/Wear-Thai-Fisherman-Pants%3Famp%3D1?source=images)

-ASL ‘I Love You’ sign: Video [ here.](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9ODwIhchqCI)

-ASL ‘You Are So Beautiful’ song with signing: Video [ here.](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Js5nqKWDybs)

-ASL. ‘The Lion Sleeps Tonight’ song with 2 cute guys (brothers, maybe?) having fun with signing & dancing: Video [ here.](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=e8MPReKRd1k)

-ASL for gift: Video [ here.](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=aZY9ObkkNSk)

-Ring: Get an idea of the style[ here.](https://www.rings-dubai.com/handmade-silver-thailand-lucky-symbol-spinning-ringbr-span-classsmalltextmr012span-p-81.html) The engraved coordinates are just for 'Brooklyn' in general, since I don't know exactly where the apartment is. 

-Desserts: _Khanom chan_ : Both the white and green layers are made with coconut milk infused with the scent of jasmine, but the green layer has the additional flavor of pandan. Pandan is a grass-like plant that’s apparently pretty common in Southeast Asian cuisine and has a mild, pleasant, sort of earthy flavor. [ here.](http://www.rachelcooksthai.com/layered-dessert/) _Kanom Krok_. Coconut custard/pancake[ here.](http://www.rachelcooksthai.com/coconut-custard-dessert/)

-Korat: Nakhon Ratchasima is one of the four major cities of Isan, Thailand, known as the "big four of Isan". The city is commonly known as Korat, a shortened form of its name.


	6. Chapter 6

“Motherfucker...what was that one? Shit for brains...asshole...big asshole...what the fuck...stupid cock...hmmm...” Blaine chuckled as he watched the video. 

Kurt shook his head, pushing his face into Blaine’s shoulder in embarrassment at times. _This was awful._

The video had appeared on his newsfeed a couple days ago, quickly going viral. Usually with subtitles. It felt like everyone he knew was forwarding it to him with comments like ‘Right on!’ It had even made it on the entertainment shows, with his hands blurred out for the more graphic gestures. Sometimes even the subtitles had blanked out sections. 

“I should have known some asshole would catch it with his stupid fucking phone.” Kurt groaned, rolling on to his back, his head in Blaine’s lap. Privacy was a thing of the last century, it seemed.

Blaine kept watching it on repeat, shaking with laughter, tears streaming down his face. “You look like a demon possessed you!”

“A fucking mute demon with a potty mouth...hands...mouth.” Kurt scowled, not coming up with a good term for it. 

Playing with Kurt’s hair, Blaine was smirking a little. “I can’t believe you told him off like that. That was so awesome. I fucking love you.” 

Kurt gave him a skeptical look. “Just what you want in a life partner? Vulgarity in public places?”

“Passionate, fiery, hot, gorgeous men who don’t take shit from anyone. That’s my type.” Blaine said, snuggling down beside Kurt and stealing a kiss. A kiss that lead to dozens more and clothes coming off rather fast. 

...

They had settled back into their regular life in New York pretty easily. They were still in the same apartment, and luckily Kurt was married to a professional organizer who found places for all the wedding gifts and a way to hang their Thai hammock in the bedroom. 

Blaine submitted his songs, and got busy with his old business as he waited for a response. Shows in development moved at a snail’s pace, so he knew he’d have to be patient. 

Kurt was working as an assistant director for an old friend, on a small production with a story he really liked. It didn’t take up as much time as big shows did, so he started going to ASL classes and looking for his next project. 

...

Coming home after his class, Kurt checked their mailbox in the lobby. There was a thick envelope addressed to Blaine in English, but the return address only stated Thailand along with some lines in that language. _What could Blaine be getting from there?_ It had been made ages since their honeymoon.

Curiosity pricked at Kurt, but he respected Blaine’s privacy, leaving the package on his desk and getting busy with studying. He watched a video of an ASL translator fingerspelling and wrote down the words. It took watching the video a few times before he was able to figure them all out, which wasn’t that good. People didn’t want to repeat themselves in real life. He had learned a lot, but it took time to master a new language. 

Blaine came home, greeting him with a kiss before changing into workout gear. “I’m meeting Sam for a kickboxing class.”

“Still trying to convince him to take Muay Thai with you?” Kurt smirked, watching as his husband filled his water bottle, and grabbed an apple and a protein bar. Blaine had been keen to learn the sport since they had watched a fight in Bangkok, Kurt peeking through his hands for most of it, cringing at the harder blows. 

“Yeah. It isn’t that much different from kickboxing.” Blaine shrugged. 

Kurt nodded, glad Blaine was still good friends with Sam. They did things like this together, saving Kurt from being dragged along. “Oh...you got some big package from Thailand. It’s on your desk.” He watched Blaine out of the corner of his eye, waiting for his reaction. 

He looked surprised, and then Kurt thought there was a flash of being pleased, followed by some concern, before Blaine schooled his face into a pleasant smile. “Oh cool. Thanks.” He scooped it up, shoving it into his gym bag, and left after kissing the back of Kurt’s neck in passing. 

The whole thing was just making Kurt more curious. He glanced at his phone, calculating the time in Thailand. Eleven hours ahead meant if he called in the evening, he got Carole in the morning on the next day her time. 

He called, going to his voice app as he waited for the international call to connect. Unfortunately, after a few rings, it went to her voice mail. 

Kurt selected one of his common sayings and hit speak. “Hi, it’s Kurt, and it would be nice to talk to you soon. Miss you and love you.”

They had been keeping in contact, sometimes a bit frustrated by the poor internet connection in her rural area. Phone lines were usually better. 

Feeling a little hungry, he made himself a big Cobb salad and watched another episode of 'Mindhunter' on Netflix. He had his tablet nearby, and looked things up occasionally. 

His ASL homework had him working on some new signs, and as he ran through them, he chuckled when he saw ‘I love you’ was on the list. He signed it often with Blaine, one of the first signs he learned in Bangkok. 

As he looked at his hand, making sure his fingers matched his lesson, he chuckled. His middle and ring finger were folded down, leaving his thumb, pinky and pointer fingers extended. Bending down his pinky, his first finger and thumb made the ‘L’ sign. He lifted it to his forehead, and smirked a little. 

Memories of Glee club and high school rushed back. Rehearsals in that choir room, practicing for regionals and nationals. The drama. The good times. He remembered watching his friends performing their original song, ‘Loser Like Me’, at regionals. Sitting with the Warblers, he had been one of the first to really cheer them on, getting the crowd on board. 

He dropped his hand back down. Rachel had made that classic sign for ‘loser’ in the chorus of that song, making the L sign on her forehead. He straightened his pinky again, changing the sign to the quick version of ‘I love you’. One little finger, and an insult becomes a beautiful thing to sign. It seemed so ironic. 

The episode of his show ended, and Kurt looked at the time. Should he watch another one or head to bed? 

Yawning, he stood up, stretched, and turned the TV off. He took his dishes into the kitchen and washed them, tidying up a little. 

Blaine entered, waving to Kurt before ducking into the bedroom to unpack his gym bag and stow it away. He was a tidy person, following the habits he taught his clients. 

Kurt was brushing his teeth when Blaine came into the bathroom, now dressed in loose pajama bottoms and a tank top, ready for bed. “Kurt, when you are done, can you join me in the living room for a few minutes?”

It was an odd request, and dozens of possibilities flooded his mind, pangs of dread shooting through him at some negative ones. Kurt nodded yes, and quickly finished up. Whatever it was, it was best just to get it out in the open instead of worrying about it. Blaine was already sitting on the sofa, only one lamp lighting the room. 

When Kurt sat down, Blaine scooted closer, taking his hand and giving him a long, tender kiss. It immediately waylaid half of his fears, knowing Blaine wouldn’t kiss him like that before giving bad news about their relationship. 

He pulled back, looking a bit nervous, glancing down at their clasped hands before meeting Kurt’s curious gaze. “Um...look...something has come up, quicker than I thought it would. I thought I’d have more time, time to prepare you, us...”

Kurt’s eyes widened, his tension mounting. 

WHAT? WHAT? Sometimes signs were quicker to get his point across. 

Taking a deep breath, Blaine let it out slowly. “Um...you remember how sad you were, leaving the village, leaving Thailand. I knew you were worried about Daw Sud, missing him.” 

Biting his lip, Kurt nodded. _This was about Daw Sud? That package was about him?_

“I wanted to see if anything else could be done, and I didn’t want you getting disappointed if there wasn’t. I knew how much you care for him.” Blaine said, his big eyes full of concern for Kurt. “So, when we got home, I reached out to everyone I could about it. Got the contacts at the refugee camp from Carole. Researched Thai adoptions, their policy on refugees, on orphans with disabilities.” 

Kurt’s heart was starting to pound in his chest, his hand tightening on Blaine’s. 

“Today, I got that package, and it’s amazing. Adoption application forms for us. For Daw Sud.” Blaine said, his own face showing his excitement, fear and tension. 

DAW SUD?? Kurt did two quick signs instead of finger spelling, the sign for stars, and then the one for tiger. It was what his name meant. Pointing his first fingers upwards, and then making his hand into a claw, and dragging it across his face. 

Blaine nodded, his face breaking into a huge smile, and he hugged Kurt hard. Kurt was still shocked, squeezing his husband tight, rocking together. The idea was starting to sink in, Blaine’s obvious joy making Kurt start to feel his old hopes rekindling. _Could this actually be happening?_

When they pulled apart, Blaine grabbed the package from the coffee table, dumping it out into Kurt’s hands. “It’s a long application we each have to complete, providing reference letters, proof of income, health reports. So much to do.”

Kurt just flipped through the papers, not even seeing them as his eyes filled with tears. He set the papers back on the table. “How could this be? How?” 

Blaine was wiping tears from his own face. “It was really Kiet. Remember our Customs Agent?” 

Nodding, Kurt waved for him to go on. 

“He saw how much you cared about Daw Sud, how good you were with him in that video, and it really touched him. When you went to the washroom, we shared contact information and he said he might have a connection, but didn’t want to promise anything.” 

By then, Kurt was grabbing some tissues, tears streaming down his face. Needing to blow his nose. For so long, he had been trying to convince himself that this was impossible... 

Blaine shrugged. “I was following up on anything I could, so I emailed him information about us, Carole, Daw Sud...even sent him a copy of us doing that song with him. I knew he wanted to help, especially you, his favorite singer, but didn’t expect much.” 

Kurt waved at the paperwork. “But he did it?” 

“He talked to people he knew in government, through his own connections, and met with someone involved in the department that handles refugees. Carole was able to use her connections at the camp to get a current health report on him, sending it to Kiet. His condition made things move faster than they normally would.” Blaine explained in a rush. 

Kurt’s eyebrows went up. “His condition?” 

Blaine looked down, and took another deep breath. His eyes seemed dark and huge when they met Kurt’s again. “He isn’t doing so well since being back at the camp. One of the families informally took him in, but he’s gone back to being unresponsive, not eating much. He’s lost weight.”

Kurt couldn’t think, feeling numb himself, barely feeling Blaine’s arms holding him tight, the soft, soothing words in his ear as he stroked Kurt’s back. 

Blaine still held Kurt’s hands when he pulled back. “Kiet used it to push for action. Showing the report and the video to anyone he could. Showing how happy he was with us. Fighting for us. For Daw Sud.” 

“Can we go, go now?” Kurt typed fast as he could on his phone, wiping away his tears impatiently. “You stay and do all the paperwork. I’ll go and live at that fucking camp if I have to. I won’t leave until he comes with me.” 

Blaine gave him a teary kiss. “So, you want this? Want to adopt him?”

Kurt could only nod. Whatever it took, they had to do this. “Let’s go get our boy.” 

After a quick hug, they huddled together over the paperwork, talking long into the night. 

...

***TWO MONTHS LATER***

Kurt clutched Blaine’s hand tight, waiting at the airport arrivals gate. It reminded him of the time Carole had flown back to the US after he woke up from the coma, Blaine at his side, supporting him. 

This was different though. Blaine was just as excited and nervous as he was. They were past talking, just sharing glances, knowing they were both on the verge of being overwhelmed by everything. They barely held each other together. 

It had been a crazy time, diving into getting all the paperwork done, meeting with doctors, lawyers, bankers, school directors. A whirlwind, taking over their lives. Luckily, Kurt’s show ended and he hadn’t committed to another one, so he had time to do most of the work. He still went to ASL classes, even more eager to learn now. 

People started exiting the gate, and Blaine shared a long glance with Kurt. _This was it._ Their last moments of just being Kurt and Blaine. Soon to be something else. _Parents. Fathers._

Carole was easy to spot in the crowd, her white-grey hair standing out. She beamed, seeing them, and looked downwards. 

Kurt followed her gaze, heart about to pound right out of his chest. _Would he look different? Would he remember them?_ All his hopes and fears from the last few months were a swirling mess of emotions inside him right now. 

Daw Sud was there, holding Carole’s hand, looking around. His large dark eyes were observant as ever, silently taking in all the things that he didn’t have the context yet to really understand. He looked over at Kurt and Blaine, and it seemed to take a few slow heartbeats before his eyes changed, widening in recognition, a rare smile coming across his face. 

Somehow, Kurt was on his knees before the boy, wanting to grab him, hug him, squeeze him tight, but not wanting to scare him. Tears were running down his face but he didn’t care. 

Daw Sud was looking at him, his eyes curious, taking him in, oblivious to the people streaming past. It was just the two of them. Reaching out, his little hand touched Kurt’s cheek lightly, patting it. He pulled back, looking up at Carole. He made a sign, and Carole nodded back encouragingly, her smile big and tears coming down her face. 

Daw Sud looked back at Kurt, lifting his hand with his fingers outstretched, turned sideways, and tapped his forehead with his thumb. FATHER. 

Kurt nodded, and gathered the boy in a gentle hug. “Yes, Yes. I’m your father now.” His voice was soft, back to using it like he had before the wedding, having the ability to say a few words softly each day. Daw Sud couldn’t hear him, but Blaine could. 

Blaine was kneeling beside them, and when Kurt pulled back, the little boy looked at him too. Kurt watched as he repeated the sign, and Blaine’s heart melting as he nodded with a wobbly grin. 

Picking the boy up, Kurt perched him on his hip, relieved when he seemed to relax against him. Trusting, or maybe remembering everything from before. 

Carole was hugging Blaine, and then turned to Kurt, hugging him gently so not to disturb Daw Sud. The boy was already looking a little sleepy, and Kurt just cuddled him close as they went through the crowds. 

Pretty soon, they were crowded in the backseat of a taxi, Daw Sud between Kurt and Blaine, Carole in the front. 

“You taught him the word for father?” Blaine asked.

Carole turned to look back at them. “Yes. I showed him pictures and videos of you everyday, taught him some simple signs.” 

She had been their rock through all of this, being their Thailand representative, with Kiet helping when needed. She had taken a leave of absence from work, and got permission to stay with Daw Sud at the refugee camp. She was already well known there, and she provided health services during her stay, wanting to help. 

Daw Sud remembered her, and she was able to get him to eat and act more like himself. Within a few weeks, he was running around, teaching the other kids signs. 

They weren’t sure if they would get the adoption approved, since it required review by American and Thai authorities, and associations involved in the refugee situation. Carole kept Daw Sud healthy, teaching him basic signs, showing him videos of Kurt and Blaine, of New York. Subtly preparing him. 

“I didn’t teach him ‘father’ until we got the approval and the flight was booked. I didn’t want to get his hopes up. He was so excited when he understood it all.” Carole grinned back at them. 

Blaine shared a glance with Kurt, then looked tenderly down at their new snoozing son. “It will get confusing if he calls us both ‘father’. Is there ASL ways to sign ‘daddy’, ‘papa’, or other words like that?” 

Carole smirked. “I tried to get Daw Sud to call you ‘Daddy K’ and ‘Daddy B’, but he made up his own names.”

She pointed to Blaine, and made the sign for Father, and then stroked her fingers along her jaw, and pulling down towards her chest, like stroking a long beard. 

“Daddy Beard! That’s great. What’s mine?” Kurt chuckled in his quiet way. Blaine had grown a light beard during the honeymoon, wearing it trimmed quite short since then. 

Carole smirked some more. She made the father sign, and then waved her open hand with outstretched fingers in a circular motion over her face, ending with a soft fist near her chin. 

“Daddy Beautiful? I get Daddy Beard and he gets Daddy Beautiful? That’s not fucking fair.” Blaine grumbled playfully, sharing a laughing glance with his husband. 

“Language!” Kurt said with his voice app, giving a glare to get emotions across. 

Blaine just rolled his eyes. “The kid is deaf. We can say whatever we want around him. Be loud in the apartment. It won’t bother him.”

Kurt huffed in annoyance. “Daw Sud is smart. He’ll probably learn to lip read before you know it, and he’s too young for words like that.”

They were pulled out of their discussion by a flash from Carole’s camera phone. She lowered it and grinned. “Your first fight about parenting. So cute.” 

That had Kurt and Blaine laughing, soon sharing some happy kisses. Carole turned to look out at the passing New York scenery, giving them some privacy. 

...

“But he’s so little!” Blaine said softly to Kurt as the teacher led him away.

Kurt took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. “I know, but think of it as preschool. He needs to learn how to sign fluently, and how school works.”

“But he’s so little!” Blaine argued, looping his arm through Kurt’s as they made their way out of the school. 

In many ways, it looked like a regular school, with lockers and bulletin boards full of student artwork in the hallways. Framed class pictures and trophy cases. The main difference Kurt noticed was how quiet it was, even full of students. They passed room after room, seeing the teachers signing at the front, writing on the whiteboards, some kids paying attention, others goofing off with their friends when the teacher wasn’t looking. It looked so normal, except it was almost silent. 

Once they were outside, Kurt tugged him into a cafe and they sat down with their drinks. “You know that this is best for him. The sooner he gets fluent in ASL, the sooner he adjusts to his life here, the better.”

They had consulted with specialists, and Kurt knew Blaine understood it. That he had agreed to the plan. But he was proving to be an overprotective father, and Kurt found it equally sweet and annoying. 

The past month had been great. Kurt wasn’t working, and Blaine had scaled his own work back as much as possible. Carole was house sitting, staying in the empty apartment of a friend. They were all focused on Daw Sud, helping him adjust to his new life. 

The boy was taking it on really well. The first week, they kept him mostly just in the apartment, learning about the bathroom, sleeping in his own bed, exploring everything. Cuddling and playing with them all. Practicing signs, learning more each day. 

Week by week, they expanded his world, showing him the park near their house. He loved all dogs, and Kurt or Blaine had to grab his hand to keep him from moving too fast around strange dogs. Thai dogs were tolerant of being petted by everyone in his village, but New York dogs needed time to sniff his hand before being touched. 

They had visited the school many times, letting Daw Sud meet his teachers, exploring the part of the school he would be in. They showed him videos of classrooms and students, getting him ready. 

This was the first time they were leaving him there, just for the morning. Blaine seemed to be taking it harder than Daw Sud was. 

“Yes, Yes. You’re right. I know.” Blaine admitted, rubbing his hand over the back of his neck. 

Kurt leaned in, giving him a deep kiss. “And now we get another parenting first. Scheduling in sex when the kid isn’t around.” 

That sent a spark of heat in Blaine’s eyes. “Really? Now?” 

Kurt nodded, glancing at the time. “We can rush home, have a couple hours to ourselves, and be back in time to pick him up.” 

Blaine grabbed his hand, dragging him out of the cafe, abandoning their drinks. 

Laughing, Kurt started running to keep up with Blaine, still holding hands. At the lights, he crowded against him as they waited for a walk signal, stealing breathless kisses until Blaine was pulling them across the street. 

Panting, they burst into the apartment, barely closing the door before they were stripping and racing to the bedroom. 

Kurt chuckled ten minutes later, reaching down to pull his phone out of his jean pocket. “Wow. That was fast, but fun. And now we have an hour for round two.” 

Blaine hummed in agreement, kissing his way down Kurt’s back. “I’ve missed this.” 

Blaine and Kurt were rarely alone now. They had some quick, quiet sex, half afraid of the boy waking up. 

It was heaven having time to relax and take their time, the initial lust satisfied with the first round. Kurt stretched out, luxuriating under his husband’s mouth and hands. He took his turn, relearning his man, loving hearing his gasps of pleasure.

Eventually, they were too excited for the slow pace. Kurt welcomed Blaine over him, using his flexibility from yoga to bring his legs up and out of the way. Having Blaine fill him so well, Kurt groaned. 

His soft sounds always excited Blaine, his thrusts making Kurt arch upwards, grinding against him. “So good, baby, yes...”

Things intensified, both moving fast and hard, knowing what the other liked best. 

Kurt felt great afterwards, pleasantly exhausted. Well fucked. Blaine was grinning at him, practically loopy on endorphins, sweaty and flushed. Kurt was sure he looked pretty much the same. 

There was a knock at their apartment door, and they both froze, looking at each other. 

Chuckling, Kurt slipped on his robe and peeked through the peephole on the door. He opened it, and Blaine could hear the other person talking softly. Kurt soon closed the door and got back into bed. 

“Who was it?” Blaine couldn’t hold back from asking.

Kurt typed on his phone. “Carole. She took one look at me and laughed hard. She wants to go with us to pick up Daw Sud and will meet us in the cafe downstairs in half an hour.”

Blaine nodded. “Hmmm OK. So, we have half an hour?”

Shaking his head at Blaine’s flirty grin, Kurt sat up. “How about we shower together?” Another thing they hadn’t done since becoming parents.

...

Kurt nudged Carole’s shoulder. “Quit smirking.” 

She chuckled, making Blaine look back at her. He was walking ahead of them with Daw Sud, holding his hand to keep him from chasing after every dog he saw. 

“You know how I keep bugging you to move back to the States? I changed my mind.” Kurt joked.

Carole rolled her eyes. “Didn’t you mention during your honeymoon that you were going to get me grandkids to lure me back? The lure is pretty strong, I must admit.”

Kurt took her hand, giving it a squeeze. “You've spent more time with him than we have. You know how lovable he is.” 

“I know.” Carole squeezed his hand back, and let go. “I think I need to go back to Thailand, and see how I feel. If I move back, it needs to be for the right reasons.”

Kurt understood. Carole had built herself a whole life over there. “Look, Blaine and I will be able to manage taking care of Daw Sud, since we have flexible schedules. If you move back, I know you will want to see Daw Sud often, see us, but you will also need to make your own life here. An apartment you like, friends, hobbies...”

Carole nodded. “I’ve loved living in Thailand, but I think I’m ready for this next phase. Ohio, Thailand, and now New York for the last part of my life. Being here the past few weeks gave me a good idea what life it could be like. I think I could be semi-retired, perhaps working part-time.”

Turning, Kurt gave her a big hug. “Thank you for everything you did to help Daw Sud. Keeping him healthy, getting him ready to come here, helping him adjust to being with us.”

“I think it’s best if I step back for a few months. Let Daw Sud attach to you two as his parents, the constant from now on in his life.” Carole brushed a stray hair off Kurt’s forehead, her eyes tender. “I’m so happy for you, Kurt. A few years ago you were with Adam, and I could tell you weren’t happy, even though it looked like you had it all. Now, despite everything you’ve been through, you are married with the sweetest son, and in a career you love.”

Kurt returned her smile, his eyes getting a little watery. He looked over at his handsome husband, helping their new son to climb up a boulder, both sharing a happy look when he got to the top. Daw Sud looked over at Kurt, a rare grin spreading over his face. FATHER, GRANDMOTHER, LOOK!

Looking over at Carole, he could see the love and pride on her face, taking in her new grandson. She lifted both hands, spreading her fingers, and rotating them quickly. The Deaf Clap. Kurt copied her, giving his son this form of applause for his actions.

Taking Carole’s hand, they walked slowly back the apartment, chatting as they watched Blaine playing with Daw Sud. Savouring these last few days with her before she flew back to Thailand. Pretty certain she would be returning soon, making a new home close to them.

When he had woken up from his coma, he had been so alone in the world. So alone, that his nurse had to talk a stranger into reading to him for company. No close friends or family around. Now he had such a full life, closer than ever with Carole, deeply in love with Blaine and their new son. A huge circle of friends, both Blaine’s and the ones Kurt had reestablished in recent years. Work he loved, a promising future. 

Giving Carole’s hand a squeeze, Kurt let go and ran over to grab Daw Sud’s free hand, Blaine holding his other one. The boy gave his almost silent giggle, a breathy one similar to Kurt’s, and started swinging between them, kicking his legs out in front of him, and letting his fathers help him land safely. Looking back over his shoulder, Kurt could see Carole filming them with her phone. All their phones were full of pictures and videos of Daw Sud. Happy memories captured forever.

...

-A/N: Thanks for reading this sequel! It was a big sappy, happy-ever-after ending, but I’m a big sap. I liked the idea of the boys visiting Carole in Thailand, and for Kurt to really relating to a deaf orphan boy there. I have learned a lot about refugee camps, the Karen people, land mines, rural Thailand, ASL, deaf culture and Thai culture in researching for this story. 

-Mindhunter: This is a new show on Netflix starring Jonathan Groff (Jessie St James on Glee) and its great! “Catching a criminal often requires the authorities to get inside the villain's mind to figure out how he thinks. That's the job of FBI agents Holden Ford and Bill Tench. They attempt to understand and catch serial killers by studying their damaged psyches. Along the way, the agents pioneer the development of modern serial-killer profiling.” Trailer [here.](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7gZCfRD_zWE)

-Loser Like Me: From episode 16, season 2 of Glee, where New Directions were competing against the Warbler’s at Regionals. “The song's performance was featured in the Glee episode "Original Song" which first aired on March 15, 2011, and included choreography and the group throwing confetti from slushie cups at the audience.” Rachel was the lead singer, and often made the ‘L’ sign for ‘loser’ during the chorus. Video [here.](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=gIvleB5fF78)

It’s the infamous episode where Blaine finally realizes he has feelings for Kurt and they have their first kiss. In this AU version, I haven’t fleshed out Kurt and Blaine’s past that much, but imagine Blaine wasn’t at Dalton, since they meet when Kurt is just out of the coma. Kurt’s life went basically the same, going to Dalton for a few months because of bullying, returning to McKinley. Heading off the New York and NYADA and his successful singing career. Would Kurt have had a different boyfriend in high school if Blaine wasn’t around? Maybe Chandler? Hmmmm... 

-Adoption: This is so simplified and sped up...Total Fiction! It probably would be basically impossible for the boys to adopt Daw Sud, but for the sake of the story, let’s go with it. Perhaps Carole’s many years of working there, Kiet’s connections, and Kurt’s reputation as a Tony award winning singer on Broadway were enough to make this miracle happen. 

-Daw Sud: It means Star Tiger. Quick videos of ASL sign for Star [here ](https://www.handspeak.com/word/search/index.php?id=2066)and Tiger [here.](https://www.handspeak.com/word/search/index.php?id=2218) In the story I describe the Tiger sign as being done with one hand, as this is how it is shown on ASLpro.com

-Deaf Clap: Applause in deaf culture is quickly rotating your hands near your shoulders. Quick video [here.](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=TS0mzyGy3bg)

-Thailand: I imagine Kurt, Blaine and Carole visiting Thailand often in the future to show Daw Sud some of his past, and visiting the refugee camps. Helping however they can. Spending time with their friend Kiet and his family, showing him how well Daw Sud has adjusted to life in the States. Seeing Carole’s friends and that quiet Isaan village. Relaxing on a beach with big umbrellas and lots of sunscreen, building sand castles and playing in the waves with Daw Sud.


End file.
